[Ooper]

Just because one flies a drone, it doesn't mean he is photographing or video taping anything. Folks fly drones at the polo fields almost every day. Drones are any aircraft that are remotely controlled... helicopters and airplanes are drones and folks fly them almost everyday at the polo fields. I personally don't see what all the paranoia is about remote controlled aircraft. What are people hiding???

[Madelaine Amee]

Originally Posted by Ooper

Just because one flies a drone, it doesn't mean he is photographing or video taping anything. Folks fly drones at the polo fields almost every day. Drones are any aircraft that are remotely controlled... helicopters and airplanes are drones and folks fly them almost everyday at the polo fields. I personally don't see what all the paranoia is about remote controlled aircraft. What are people hiding???

Do we have to be hiding something to not want a drone flying around our backyard? I think it is great when people enjoy their sport in open places such as the Polo Fields, and I will probably make a point to go and watch them now I know they are there, but I really do not want to see a drone over my home or my backyard.

[Aloha1]

Originally Posted by Rapscallion St Croix

I worked on the Predator program and when I hear about these hobby drones I can't help but think of

Now that, "Makes My Day"!

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Aloha1

Now that, "Makes My Day"!

Me too ALoha. Rapscallion makes me laugh.

[buzzy]

I am an airplane flyer, have been for 45 years. It was never that popular with communities, so always done in rather remote areas. Unfortunately, drones have drawn negative attention to an otherwise worthwhile hobby. There is incessant negative portrayal in movies and media. The proliferation of models and customers almost guarantees some issues of irresponsible use and difficulty in regulating the activity. And, the anonymity of ownership emboldens potential troublemakers. Please don't paint all users with the same brush. Often, the owner explores an area out of curiosity and moves on. If not, there may be something more to investigate.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Goldwingnut

I have to say that when I read the original post here I thought to myself, "I've a drone, could this be me?". But with over 300 registered drone operators in the TV zip codes I thought small chance. But then I though, only about 25% of the homes are Villas, and about 50% of the people here are snow birds, that brings it down to 1 in 37 + or -. Still a pretty slim chance.

But of course after receipt of the anonymous letter with no return address telling me I should be flying my drone around my villa community I figured it really was me. In the letter also quoted was the same partial and misinterpreted section of Florida Statute 934.50 that is in this thread. Was I a little miffed, you bet! But I thought it wise to cool down before responding, I've cooled off now so here goes.

First let's clear the air (pardon the pun) on flying a drone in The Villages, per the FAA it is not illegal as it is considered Class G air space as a previous poster has mentioned. What would be illegal would be flying over the people in one of the town squares during the evening entertainment. The FAA has jurisdiction on control of airspace in the USA, not the states or local government.

Second, when you see a drone in the air it is normally moving at anywhere up to 45 MPH. Normally the operator is observing live video via their remote, a connected tablet computer, or smart phone. With the amount of money invested in a drone they're cautious of where they are going and are normally looking ahead or only slightly down to keep their bearings on where they are flying. To be looking straight down while flying at any speed would be like running with your eyes closed, not very smart. Because the cameras have a wide angle lens on them, a drone at a height of 100 feet, sees a whole lot of area at once (everything is very small). Flying a low altitudes and looking straight down everything whizzes by, like looking out the side window of a car while going down a busy street, you don't see much. If you think you can blow up the image and enhance it like you see on TV shows, you watch too much TV, it really doesn't work that way.

If you see a drone hovering overhead, it could be for several reasons, taking a panorama shot, the operator is talking to someone on the ground, getting a drink of water, sneezed, or may be making changes to their drone (I switch frequently between 6 different software packages to fly mine). Are they looking at you directly, a very very very slim chance.

FS 934 SECURITY OF COMMUNICATIONS; SURVEILLANCE and more specifically FS 934.50 Searches and Seizure Using A Drone, deals specifically with law enforcement use of drones. The entirety of of the statute reads:

934.50 Searches and seizure using a drone.—
(1) SHORT TITLE.—This act may be cited as the “Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act.”
(2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this act, the term:
(a) “Drone” means a powered, aerial vehicle that:
1. Does not carry a human operator;
2. Uses aerodynamic forces to provide vehicle lift;
3. Can fly autonomously or be piloted remotely;
4. Can be expendable or recoverable; and
5. Can carry a lethal or nonlethal payload.
(b) “Image” means a record of thermal, infrared, ultraviolet, visible light, or other electromagnetic waves; sound waves; odors; or other physical phenomena which captures conditions existing on or about real property or an individual located on that property.
(c) “Imaging device” means a mechanical, digital, or electronic viewing device; still camera; camcorder; motion picture camera; or any other instrument, equipment, or format capable of recording, storing, or transmitting an image.
(d) “Law enforcement agency” means a lawfully established state or local public agency that is responsible for the prevention and detection of crime, local government code enforcement, and the enforcement of penal, traffic, regulatory, game, or controlled substance laws.
(e) “Surveillance” means:
1.With respect to an owner, tenant, occupant, invitee, or licensee of privately owned real property, the observation of such persons with sufficient visual clarity to be able to obtain information about their identity, habits, conduct, movements, or whereabouts; or
2. With respect to privately owned real property, the observation of such property’s physical improvements with sufficient visual clarity to be able to determine unique identifying features or its occupancy by one or more persons.
(3) PROHIBITED USE OF DRONES.—
(a) A law enforcement agency may not use a drone to gather evidence or other information.
(b) A person, a state agency, or a political subdivision as defined in s. 11.45 may not use a drone equipped with an imaging device to record an image of privately owned real property or of the owner, tenant, occupant, invitee, or licensee of such property with the intent to conduct surveillance on the individual or property captured in the image in violation of such person’s reasonable expectation of privacy without his or her written consent. For purposes of this section, a person is presumed to have a reasonable expectation of privacy on his or her privately owned real property if he or she is not observable by persons located at ground level in a place where they have a legal right to be, regardless of whether he or she is observable from the air with the use of a drone.
(4) EXCEPTIONS.—This section does not prohibit the use of a drone:
(a) To counter a high risk of a terrorist attack by a specific individual or organization if the United States Secretary of Homeland Security determines that credible intelligence indicates that there is such a risk.
(b) If the law enforcement agency first obtains a search warrant signed by a judge authorizing the use of a drone.
(c) If the law enforcement agency possesses reasonable suspicion that, under particular circumstances, swift action is needed to prevent imminent danger to life or serious damage to property, to forestall the imminent escape of a suspect or the destruction of evidence, or to achieve purposes including, but not limited to, facilitating the search for a missing person.
(d) By a person or an entity engaged in a business or profession licensed by the state, or by an agent, employee, or contractor thereof, if the drone is used only to perform reasonable tasks within the scope of practice or activities permitted under such person’s or entity’s license. However, this exception does not apply to a profession in which the licensee’s authorized scope of practice includes obtaining information about the identity, habits, conduct, movements, whereabouts, affiliations, associations, transactions, reputation, or character of any society, person, or group of persons.
(e) By an employee or a contractor of a property appraiser who uses a drone solely for the purpose of assessing property for ad valorem taxation.
(f) To capture images by or for an electric, water, or natural gas utility:
1. For operations and maintenance of utility facilities, including facilities used in the generation, transmission, or distribution of electricity, gas, or water, for the purpose of maintaining utility system reliability and integrity;
2. For inspecting utility facilities, including pipelines, to determine construction, repair, maintenance, or replacement needs before, during, and after construction of such facilities;
3. For assessing vegetation growth for the purpose of maintaining clearances on utility rights-of-way;
4. For utility routing, siting, and permitting for the purpose of constructing utility facilities or providing utility service; or
5. For conducting environmental monitoring, as provided by federal, state, or local law, rule, or permit.
(g) For aerial mapping, if the person or entity using a drone for this purpose is operating in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations.
(h) To deliver cargo, if the person or entity using a drone for this purpose is operating in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations.
(i) To capture images necessary for the safe operation or navigation of a drone that is being used for a purpose allowed under federal or Florida law.
(5)REMEDIES FOR VIOLATION.—
(a)An aggrieved party may initiate a civil action against a law enforcement agency to obtain all appropriate relief in order to prevent or remedy a violation of this section.
(b) The owner, tenant, occupant, invitee, or licensee of privately owned real property may initiate a civil action for compensatory damages for violations of this section and may seek injunctive relief to prevent future violations of this section against a person, state agency, or political subdivision that violates paragraph (3)(b). In such action, the prevailing party is entitled to recover reasonable attorney fees from the nonprevailing party based on the actual and reasonable time expended by his or her attorney billed at an appropriate hourly rate and, in cases in which the payment of such a fee is contingent on the outcome, without a multiplier, unless the action is tried to verdict, in which case a multiplier of up to twice the actual value of the time expended may be awarded in the discretion of the trial court.
(c) Punitive damages for a violation of paragraph (3)(b) may be sought against a person subject to other requirements and limitations of law, including, but not limited to, part II of chapter 768 and case law.
(d) The remedies provided for a violation of paragraph (3)(b) are cumulative to other existing remedies.
(6) PROHIBITION ON USE OF EVIDENCE.—Evidence obtained or collected in violation of this act is not admissible as evidence in a criminal prosecution in any court of law in this state.
Section 2.This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.

There's a lot in there but nothing concerning recreational use of a drone. What was previously quoted by the OP and my anonymous neighbor is taken out of context to meet their own wants.

When I first started flying my current aircraft, one of my other neighbors approached me and asked I not fly over their house. I have absolutely no problem with this and I now take a wide angle around their home to honor their request and out of respect for their privacy.

I don't know who wrote the letter and I really don't care, I could figure it out quick enough if I really wanted to but as I said, I don't care.

To the OP, please communicate to your friend, all she had to do was ask and I would have altered my flight path gladly. Ask me now and you won't like my answer, not enough courtesy to even sign your name, I'll return the courtesy in kind. Get over your paranoia or your ego because you're going to have to live with it as I'll not stop flying and drones will be more and more common in the future. Will I intentionally fly to annoy you or anyone else in particular, no, that's not my way, but I'll not go out of my way for you either. I'm not breaking any laws but I do understand the concerns of others. To anyone else concerned, if a drone is bothering you by flying overhead, simply talk to the operator, we're all normal regular people just like you and everyone else.

Maybe your letter didn't come from the OP. Maybe you're not the one flying over her villa and her dog. But do you really think that scaring the h*** out of someone's dog enough to set it to barking and bothering the neighborhood is okay, just for your recreational pleasure? Flying low enough over the neighborhood, even if avoiding flying directly over this house, could still bother the dog and the neighborhood.

Why do people think what they want to do should take precedence over anyone else's peace, privacy, or (you name it).

[jsw14]

Thanks for the Great Info on the Law's of Drone's Goldwingnut... I've had only one person say, NOT too fly over their house. I will & do respect their privacy. Only one thing I have to say about people that don't know about the camera's on the Drone's. They DO NOT have a Zoom Lens........

[Fredster]

I'm not a drone flyer, and I do believe that those
that fly them should do so responsibly
and follow all applicable laws.
It sure seems that folks generally have fears of things
they have little knowledge of!

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by CFrance

Why do people think what they want to do should take precedence over anyone else's peace, privacy, or (you name it).

Probably it doesn't occur to most of the drone flyers that their hobby could impact the peace and privacy of those on the ground. Hopefully this Thread will make them more aware.

[Steve9930]

A Drone flying at a few hundred feet above the ground is almost impossible to hear outside let alone inside ones residence. The other point is you do not own the air space above your property. This point was settled years ago by litigation from tne barnstormer days. So while you may not like the fact some one is flying something like a Drone over your residence, if they show no behavior they are hassing you, just pour yourself another glass of wine and chill. All you are going to do is raise hour blood pressure. If they crash onto your roof then they will be liable for the damages. You can ask they not fly over your home but if they refuse and are following FAA rules you just out of luck. You can always sell and move or buy a Drone and join the fun.

[queenpalmgirl]

I am the president of The Villages E-Flyers, the radio controlled airplane club here at The Villages. We accommodate drone flying at our flying field, but strongly advise against flying them in the various neighborhoods for the very reasons listed in this thread. As to The Academy of Model Aeronautics and their safety rules and guidelines for drone flying, they do exist, but are voluntary. We observe these guidelines among our members, but have no authority over individuals who are not members and who may also not belong to the AMA. The person flying the drone around the houses in question is almost certainly NOT one of our members.

As to the FAA regulations, they were designed to keep drone traffic separated from full scale air traffic and did not address the low slow flying discussed here. I say "did" since the courts recently negated the FAA authority over radio controlled "model airplane" and drone flying as hobby interests as an over reach according to a law passed by congress a couple years ago which kept hobby flying out of the government's control. Local police have the authority to enforce whatever of these regulations still are valid, but there is little left to enforce, and local police generally do not understand FAA regulations in detail because it is not in their normal realm of responsibility.

I do, however, agree that contacting the local police is the prudent course of action as they might be able to make a case for disturbing the peace, or perhaps other privacy issue enforcement. Failing any legal action, at least they might have a friendly talk with the culprit and discourage their un-neighborly activity. ..... Hope this helps....

[Junebugs]

I tried the B4UFLY app and my house is within 5 miles of an airport….apparently, the landing pad for the hospital helicopter is considered an airport so drones are not permitted without notifying the airport operator.

[Steve9930]

Originally Posted by Junebugs

I tried the B4UFLY app and my house is within 5 miles of an airport….apparently, the landing pad for the hospital helicopter is considered an airport so drones are not permitted without notifying the airport operator.

If you hold a Commercial Drone license it is not necessry to notify them. You fly with the same rules as any other certificated pilot. Recreational pilots who are not certificated must contact them. However that is all that is necessary. The rules where set up to try and steer people into getting a license.