I AM NOT SPYING ON YOU WITH MY DRONE!
So, now that drones are really popular and tons of fun because we can get really cool aerial pictures and see the world from hundreds of feet high, I wanted to address a potential problem.
I am an FAA Part 107 licensed drone Pilot. I have studied and passed the test that indicates I know all the rules and regulations for safe flights. I know where I can fly and where I cannot fly. I do my best to abide by all the rules and regulations.
There are some people out there who buy drones and fly them anywhere they want with no regard for the rules and regulations. I understand there are some gray areas, but I did want to use this blog to address a few issues.
First of all, I wanted to let it be known that I agree a drone should not be flown in close proximity to private property unless the pilot has permission. I also agree that someone flying a drone in front of your windows, over your pool or back yard at low altitudes is just wrong and a bit creepy. I am not saying I condone this, but if the drone is low enough that you can bring it down with a garden hose, then it probably is invading your privacy.
However, for the sake of example, lets take my fancy professional drone which is a Mavic 2 Pro that has a 20 Megapixel Hasselblad camera. The camera lens is 28mm which has an approximate 77 degree field of view. Basically it is a wide angle lens. If I am flying my drone 100 feet over someone’s house doing a neighborhood shot for real estate, you can be sure that this will not see any details or anything remotely invading privacy. There are airspace maps that determine the maximum altitude I can fly my drone at. The agency that controls airspace and determines where drones can and cannot fly is the FAA. In many places with flight restrictions, I can get authorization to fly by using an app on my cell phone. I can legally fly over entire neighborhoods just like a manned aircraft can. No one owns or controls the airspace over their house.
The lens next to my drone in the picture is a Tamron 150-600 zoom and it would take an extremely large drone to carry that lens. The lens weighs about 3 pounds! If you see a drone with a lens that big, then someone could be spying on you. 600mm would provide about a 2.1 degree field of view and it would be capable of zooming in from a fairly long distance. This lens is generally used for wildlife. Most people will not have a drone like that as the cost would be prohibitive.
I understand the public concern about drones spying on them. I do realize that there are a small number of irresponsible drone pilots and if you see a drone close to your house, I recommend you call the local police. Again, if its close enough to hose it down, the choice is yours.
Now for the serious stuff. The FAA considers a drone as an un-manned aerial system (UAS). Shooting down a drone is a felony. Most cities have laws restricting discharging a firearm within city limits. It is also very dangerous to discharge a firearm as the projectile would go straight up and then come down. It could land on a person. Please Do Not Even consider shooting a drone down!
Just to re-iterate, I fly my drone for fun and as a business. I can do safe roof inspections, real estate photos and videos, construction progress, 3D mapping and modeling. Drones save lives and are amazing tools for law enforcement, search and rescue, agriculture and new uses are being discovered almost every day.
My goal is to provide great service to my customers and also serve as a local ambassador in my community. If you have any questions about drones and the technology that makes them possible, please feel free to contact me.