Quote:
Originally Posted by AzAuSenior
The drone in question was out surveilling the neighborhood at 11 PM; not the kind of monitoring one would expect from a drone club or Gold Wingnut. We're not concerned about legitimate drone use, but rather exploitation by others using drones for questionable purposes and what can residents do when suspicious drones are observed operating in a neighborhood.
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The Villages has no drone flyover rules. Don can provide more specific details but generally speaking since the FAA controls the airspace and controls use of drones by flyers (both commercially licensed and recreational via Part 107 regs) they would be the ones to contact unless you actually see a crime committed by a drone then you'd of course contact the PD. Up to 400' feet is considered uncontrolled (free & open) airspace by the FAA with exceptions. How one can prove a drone is being used for "questionable purposes" unless it is taking photos into your windows or hoovering over your home at low altitudes for long periods of time itself is questionable.
"Surveilling your neighborhood" could be a kid with a new Christmas toy flying around the area. Commercially licensed pilots and recreational pilots have their own set of rules for where and when they can fly as well as general rules that apply to all. Bottom line is The Villages has no control of airspace and FAA rules take precedence over local rules.
OH, you can't shoot them down and gun laws aside it would be a "federal offense". Lot's of stories out there about those that did. I'm studying for a commercial part 107 UAS license and it ain't easy. The aeronautical weather maps and airspace maps are killing me.
Some interesting articles:
Drone Laws in Florida 2021: Everything You Need to Know | Cult of Drone
and this:
How to Stop Drones From Flying Over Your House | Cult of Drone
Can I shoot down a drone?:
Are you allowed to shoot down a drone?
and this from Don's website (Florida laws) Section (3) is the most applicable to this discussion and I always carry a copy with me when I fly:
https://cdn.website-editor.net/s/032...K2NXBXLF010TJW
Don's website:
Goldwingnut.com