Ok, I guess it's time for me to ring in on this one. I spend about 2 hours in my class taking about the laws here in Florida that apply to drone flying and I've had my run ins with the FAA in the past so I am VERY familiar with the laws and rules as they apply. A lot of good and accurate information has been put out in this thread, jrref and edfnj have posted some great information that is spot-on. I'll try to limit my comments to 4 areas:
1) Can you fly a drone over The Villages/homes
2) Can you shot down a drone
3) Why are they spying on me
4) Flying a drone at night
1) Can you fly a drone over The Villages/homes
As EdFNj stated, I've a link to document on the applicable laws for flying drones (I give this to all my students in my classes), you'll find these on my download page
HERE
There are 3 laws that apply in Florida 330.41, 330.411, and 934.50
330.411 is the easiest, in short you can't weaponize a drone in any way here in Florida.
330.41 is in my opinion a drone pilots friend and similar laws exist in almost every state. The short version is that the State and FAA make the rules not the cities, towns, counties, or other government body. Here's what it says"
330.41.(3)(b) Except as otherwise expressly provided, a political subdivision may not enact or enforce an ordinance or resolution relating to the design, manufacture, testing, maintenance, licensing, registration, certification, or operation of an unmanned aircraft system, including airspace, altitude, flight paths, equipment or technology requirements; the purpose of operations; and pilot, operator, or observer qualifications, training, and
certification.
So The Villages (the community, the CDD's, and the developer) can't make any rules nor enforce any restrictions.
934.50 talks about search and seizure using a drone and discusses privacy and surveillance. Key in this discussion is the definition of what surveillance is with the salient points being recording an image, sufficient visual clarity, and intent. All of these must be met. The first is generally easy to prove, intent you must prove they were trying to look at you, and visual clarity is the easiest to defeat. I dig into this one a little more in #3.
2) Can you shoot down a drone
In a word, NO! The FAA considers a small Unmanned Aircraft System or sUAS (the correct term for what most consider a drone) the same as any other aircraft and the same laws that protect other aircraft from being shot at or discharging a weapon inside an aircraft protect drones. The FAA is prosecuting on this offense.
Don't think nobody will know it was you if you shoot one down. The pilot knows where the aircraft is and telemetry data is recorded in the flight software that they are using on the ground that can be used to determine incident location. Most aircraft also have cameras that will save a copy of the video they shoot on the ground station system so even if the aircraft is a total loss or unrecoverable there is a record (see my video of the Brownwood bridge move for an example of this). If that video footage show identifiable evidence of the incident, you're screwed and will be caught.
I love the tennis racket comment that Dana1963 made, if they are close enough to you to hit with a tennis racket, they by all means do so, the S.O.B. is breaking the law and invading your privacy and deserves it. Beyond that range, you are braking the law.
3) Why are they spying on me
They're probably not, even at a very moderate altitude of 50 ft the field of view is wide and most things are small, at 100 ft (still very low and in risk of trees) hundreds of homes become visible and you are not likely of any interest.
Just because they are over or near your home doesn't mean they are looking at you. Yes the camera can be pointed straight down but most pilots only do that when they are landing. Just because someone is standing in the street or near your home doesn't mean they are looking in your window, the same applies to drones. Just because you see a drone flying over doesn't mean it's looking at you; if a car goes past your house is the drive looking in your window or are they looking where they are going? The same holds true when flying a drone.
As far as the cameras go, what you see on CSI or NCIS when they "zoom in" and "enhance" a picture and magically get a crystal clear image is all great television fiction and not reality. At 150 ft a 30 lb dog becomes a mass of colored blocks when you try to zoom in too far (make it 10% of the viewable image or less). At night it's even less effective or useful. This goes back to 934.50 when it talks about "sufficient visual clarity", it doesn't exist to meet the definition of surveillance. It makes great television but it simply isn't real.
4) Flying a drone at night
In early 2021 the FAA changed the rules about flying at night to make it easier. It's not blanket permission to fly at night and has several rules that MUST be followed, the big two are: 1) lighting (strobe) that must be visible for 3 miles and 2) a special test from the FAA that you must pass. If these are met (and the rest of the rules) the pilot is in the wrong and if caught stiff fines are imposed.
I've met all the requirements for flying at night and have done it several times, most recently when shooting the Christmas lights at the town squares. Overall, it is too risky to do casually and without a lot of planning - the trees are too hard to see in the dark - it's not worth risking a $1500 bird (again) to do without strong consideration of the dangers and consequences.
If you see someone flying at night without the lighting requirements being met (the lights that are standard on all drones do not meet the visibility requirements) they call the police/sheriff to investigate or follow it to where it lands and you can then file a complaint with the FAA.
At the Drone Flyers Club meetings we talk about these very subjects frequently and we emphasize courtesy and respect for our neighbors and others and following the laws. We don't want anyone to be "that guy" who annoys the neighbors or is on the evening news due to stupidity. But of course we all know, you can't fix stupid.