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Property etiquette

Jungle Media

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Oregon
Brand new pilot. Just received my commercial license and just purchased an Air 2 S. I have not even received it yet. I am very confused by the flying over property issue. My primary intent with the drone is to capture footage of property on request of the owner. However, If I want to practice or capture stock footage, can I fly over a field near my house? Do I need land owner permission to fly over an uninhabited area?
 
No. I do it all the time. Land owners don't own the air, but some neighbors can be paranoide. Most won't give it a second thought. Out of all the flights I've had not a single negative. On the other hand, I think long and hard about where and how I fly at all times.
 
Locally - in my state - the statutes say you can't intentionally focus on and photograph a particular owner or property without their written permission. This allows free flight over random properties while recording, but, should someone think you are loitering around their house or business, they can call the police.

ps: I'd love to go photograph the horses running around the field next to me, but since they are property, and it would be clear to a casual observer my photos were focusing on the horses ... so before I do that, I'll need to ask permission. Then comes the part where the horses are owned by many - it's a boarding ranch - do I need to get permission from all of the prospects?
 
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No. I do it all the time. Land owners don't own the air, but some neighbors can be paranoide. Most won't give it a second thought. Out of all the flights I've had not a single negative. On the other hand, I think long and hard about where and how I fly at all times.
Thanks. I intend to fly only under Part 107... so I want to have a well crafted set of policies. When hired, I will of course have permissions in place. I was just curious about how it is perceived flying over a field, etc.
 
Locally - in my state - the statutes say you can't intentionally focus on and photograph a particular owner or property without their written permission. This allows free flight over random properties while recording, but, should someone think you are loitering around their house or business, they can call the police.

ps: I'd love to go photograph the horses running around the field next to me, but since they are property, and it would be clear to a casual observer my photos were focusing on the horses ... so before I do that, I'll need to ask permission. Then comes the part where the horses are owned by many - it's a boarding ranch - do I need to get permission from all of the prospects?
Thanks for the response. Good question about the horses.
 
I should add that I fly under recreational rules and usually at the max of 400 ft. hardly noticeable from the ground and while flying over other's property I'm not taking direct pictures of their property.
 
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Do I need land owner permission to fly over an uninhabited area?
This isn't covered in the 107 test? The short answer is no. Just to take off, land or control from their property. But be ready to educate law enforcement if they get called.

Relax, have fun and do what you want within reason.

Locally - in my state - the statutes say you can't intentionally focus on and photograph a particular owner or property without their written permission. This allows free flight over random properties while recording, but, should someone think you are loitering around their house or business, they can call the police.
Anyone can call the police. What's the problem as long as you're not hovering over your neighbor's pool while his wife or (adult) daughter is laying out? What statute is this?
 
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I fly a lot at a friends house in the country. Her neighbors have a pool and I made a point to ask if it would bother them if I flew my drone, the ladies didn't mind at all. I was not there to spy only to fly. Not one of her neighbors have a problem with my flights and being in the country it's a real blast to cut loose with it.
 
This isn't covered in the 107 test? The short answer is no. Just to take off, land or control from their property. But be ready to educate law enforcement if they get called.

Relax, have fun and do what you want within reason.


Anyone can call the police. What's the problem as long as you're not hovering over your neighbor's pool while his wife or (adult) daughter is laying out? What statute is this?
Believe it or not.... with all of the mountains of rules and regulations that are part of 107... they basically punt on whether you can fly over property and say to use good judgement.
 

@Jungle Media

What statute is this?


The Idaho statute has a carve out for recreational flying, which should allow for simple training flights, too.

As an aside, being on someone else's property for any reason without their permission has a name, it's called trespass. Yes, you are trespassing when you walk up to knock on someone's door, lol. You can usually trespass in order to contact the owner - knock on the door, etc. But if they tell you to leave or have a no trespassing sign posted, then you are criminally trespassing.
 
ps: I'd love to go photograph the horses running around the field next to me, but since they are property, and it would be clear to a casual observer my photos were focusing on the horses ...
Best to keep the drone away from horses and avoid spooking them.
Use a regular camera for horse photos.
 
Best to keep the drone away from horses and avoid spooking them.
Use a regular camera for horse photos.

It's worth noting I take a wide detour to avoid over flying the horse farm, keeping several hundred feet lateral between the horse fences and the drones.
 
It's worth noting I take a wide detour to avoid over flying the horse farm, keeping several hundred feet lateral between the horse fences and the drones.
A drone looks smaller in the air at 100 feet and FAR quieter than a Cessna. I doubt they would even look up.

Horses are everywhere in KY and I can't fly 200 yards from my house without going over them. They never react. I wouldn't get down to eye level though.
 
Yes, it's a good idea to see it from their point of view. I recently was invited to fly from a stranger's backyard to take pictures of a scenic backdrop off in the distance. It was beautiful, cement swimming pool, stunning decorations and this very, very large bird cage full of macaws. They were very calm, until I fired up my MA2 and by the time I was a foot off the ground it sounded like a entire jungle of Monkeys SCREAMING at the top of their lungs OMG. I couldn't land fast enough, you couldn't imagine how deafening it was without being there. It's easy to think only from our point of view without realizing the effect we can have on other creatures.IMG_0955.JPG
 
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Yes, it's a good idea to see it from their point of view. I recently was invited to fly [snip]
That's some backyard. I knew a developer whose raised collectable birds from around the world and his place was nice with lots of money thrown around, but that property in your photo is off the charts. I wonder what he does for a living that he needs such a secure and redundant alarm system - lol. Birds apparently get to know people who frequent their space, and they'll raise a ruckus any time someone/something new comes around.

Thanks for sharing.
 
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There was an event being held at City Hall and the gentleman was helping with a neighborhood watch program using a walkie talkie to contact others in the group to keep things running smoothly for the city planners. He was very friendly and helpful as was his lovely wife. The birds were something I've never encountered before and you're right a very good alarm system, lol!! Not something I'll soon forget.
 
My feeling is that if you want to give drones a bad reputation, poke the land owner in the eye flying your drone over their property without asking permission first. Ask first if they say no - politely move one. I would not want someone flying over our property taking videos and pics. Enough people infuriate land owners with their drones, you'll see more restrictive proposals like Senator Mike Lee has offered. Let's keep the drone flying on a positive side for both fliers and those below.

My 2 cents - happy flying!
 

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