Judge rules man had right to shoot down drone over his house

[Droolguy]

FAA regs exempt model airplanes (which would include non-commercial drones) below 400' keeping at least 3 miles from any airport, away from populated areas. They don't, and can't, authorize you to fly (much less hover) your drone over below 400' over MY property. If you do that without permission, you are trespassing, PERIOD.

The legal remedy for trespassing is another matter, and doesn't normally include shooting them down unless you've been warned, are invading privacy, are threatening, or some other factor. Just like we can't always just shoot an ordinary trespasser or smash up his car for parking in our private driveway.

But property owners do have legal rights and non commercial drones hovering over private property are violating those rights as much as uninvited jerks using our front stoop for a hang out. Go away.

How do you know what a commercial and a hobbyist drone look like? Since the only difference is a piece of paper from the FAA.

The right to airspace above your property is tenuous at best, with no hard legal backing on either side.

People really need to think long and hard before shooting someones drone down because they dont like the sound or are paranoid its watching them.

The ones that cost $20,000 dont look very much different than the ones that cost $2,000, and you could find yourself in a very bad position very quickly if the operators start taking the law into their own hands like the overzealous property owners.

Just remember that "An eye for an eye" is something that most people still believe in.

Also, the FAA can impose rules on any airspace they want, including that below 500ft. It just has to be put to public docket like all their other regulations.

Other than that a well reasoned post.

[Bawanna]

Personally I think this Drone Bone has been chewed to the well "Bone".

I think both sides of this have been offered and not much to gain from here going forward.

I'm gonna leave it open for a bit but don't seem much more than a cyber fisticuff happening. I'm all for a good fisticuff now and again but this would'nt be a good one.