[EdFNJ]

We know T.V. doesn’t own and/or control the airspace above anything here so doesn’t this then become a matter of “free speech”? Oh wait. Nevermind. Maybe they are simply trying to “legal cost” the h3ll out of you which seems to be the trend nowadays.

Originally Posted by Goldwingnut

I received word today, my letter is also in the mail. As a "repeat offender" I guess mine took a little longer. One the bright side, the letters are coming from a lawyer not the FAA. .

[Papa_lecki]

Originally Posted by EdFNJ

We know T.V. doesn’t own and/or control the airspace above anything here so doesn’t this then become a matter of “free speech”? Oh wait. Nevermind. Maybe they are simply trying to “legal cost” the h3ll out of you which seems to be the trend nowadays.

I don’t know, the Developer has to know many of Don’s viewers are people who haven’t moved down yet, who are learning about the Villages and will buy. He is the best marketing they have.
How many owners have shared Don’s vide with a friend.

[indianahurricane]

Here's another trying to be channel shut down.


https://youtu.be/10fPHd38JN8

[bmcgowan13]

Not so sure about claims you can trespass on a building site without consequences.

c) The offender commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, if the property trespassed is a construction site that is:
1. Greater than 1 acre in area and is legally posted and identified in substantially the following manner: “THIS AREA IS A DESIGNATED CONSTRUCTION SITE, AND ANYONE WHO TRESPASSES ON THIS PROPERTY COMMITS A FELONY.”; or

If you don't have the right to be on the posted building site you can be arrested. Technically, all the owners visiting their homes on the weekends are trespassing on a building site unless the Builder gave them permission to be on the site. Florida law is pretty clear (and strict) on this.

The Builder usually doesn't mind but if somebody is going into homes under construction and taking photos and publishing online examples of perceived "bad" building practices I bet the Builder is going to get involved pretty quickly. Keep in mind--until the building is sold to you it is somebody else's private property.

Private property owners make the rules--even when the business is open to the public. That is why Disney can deny you entry to Magic Kingdom if you have a drone, knife, can of beer or even a bluetooth speaker. Those are all legal items--but Disney owns the property and does not allow them.

If you are someplace you are not authorized to be you can be charged with trespass. If cops catch you inside the Home Depot at 2AM when the business is closed they are not going to wait for a manager to drive down to tell you to leave (and then afford you the opportunity to do so) before they arrest you.

When the cops chase a burglar, and he jumps fences into someone's backyard they can also stack charges of trespass for every fenced yard he/she jumped into. There is no "you have to be told to leave" defense. If the property owner wants to press the issue the culprit can be charged.

But the FAA has no dog in the building site fight. So long as you have permission to be on the private property (for launch and recovery), maintain line-of-sight of your UAV and abide by the rules you are legal to fly.

[EdFNJ]

Originally Posted by Papa_lecki

I don’t know, the Developer has to know many of Don’s viewers are people who haven’t moved down yet, who are learning about the Villages and will buy. He is the best marketing they have.
How many owners have shared Don’s vide with a friend.

They are simply using the power of the dollar knowing that this will cost all these folks big bucks to fight it and hope they will crawl away. Lawyers ain’t cheap even if you are in the right. This is how the big guys fight the little guys when they do or say or write something they don’t like. They lawyer them to death. It’s the trend nowadays especially within the “upper echelons”. I wonder if the drone club got the same C&D.

[jimkerr]

Years ago when we considered moving to the Villages we didn’t know if we wanted to live nearby, move to the villages, or what part of the villages we wanted to move to.

We came across Don Wiley and his Gold Wingnut channel and started watching it every time he released a video as well as his previous videos so we could better understand The Villages.

Because of Don and his great information, we chose The Villages. If it wasn’t for his video we would likely not have purchased here.

I think The Villages is doing a huge disservice to potential homeowners, business owners as well as to themselves by bullying Don and the other people making these videos.

I think it’s wrong and they should be ashamed of themselves. It’s not a good look for them.

[Rainger99]

Originally Posted by Goldwingnut

I received word today, my letter is also in the mail. As a "repeat offender" I guess mine took a little longer. One the bright side, the letters are coming from a lawyer not the FAA. If there was merit a complaint would have been filed with the FAA or FDLE, but since it hasn't been (I am assuming) then this is little more that an attempt to intimidate. A common tactic.

The first time this happened to me I was hit with a fine for $7,100 from the FAA. It nearly put me out of business. But as had been previously said in this thread, I beat them and the charges were dropped by the FAA and the fine rescinded. They wasted a lot of money on having a lawyer file a 130+ page complaint with the FAA.

Until the FAA or FDLE is involved it is little more than saber rattling by a bunch of out of town lawyers in my opinion. This has little to do with drones and everything to do with controlling the flow of information.

Can you provide more information?
Who is objecting?
What is their objection?
What are the grounds for their objections?

[Aces4]

Why not take this situation it to the public via a news story in Orlando media and broadcast the restrictions that are being threatened? If all the drone operators got together and approached WESH or another channel, perhaps they could have this conundrum clarified and relief may be provided. Just my humble opinion.

[FFlank]

Originally Posted by EdFNJ

They are simply using the power of the dollar knowing that this will cost all these folks big bucks to fight it and hope they will crawl away. Lawyers ain’t cheap even if you are in the right. This is how the big guys fight the little guys when they do or say or write something they don’t like. They lawyer them to death. It’s the trend nowadays especially within the “upper echelons”. I wonder if the drone club got the same C&D.

This would be the correct answer. It's a variation of the Golden Rule: He who has the gold, makes the rules.

[Altavia]

Originally Posted by jimkerr

Years ago when we considered moving to the Villages we didn’t know if we wanted to live nearby, move to the villages, or what part of the villages we wanted to move to.

We came across Don Wiley and his Gold Wingnut channel and started watching it every time he released a video as well as his previous videos so we could better understand The Villages.

Because of Don and his great information, we chose The Villages. If it wasn’t for his video we would likely not have purchased here.

I think The Villages is doing a huge disservice to potential homeowners, business owners as well as to themselves by bullying Don and the other people making these videos.

I think it’s wrong and they should be ashamed of themselves. It’s not a good look for them.

Agree - very sad to see these veterans who have given back to the community and our country treated this way.

[Rainger99]

Florida drone laws.

Drone Laws in Florida (2025) - UAV Coach

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Rainger99

Can you provide more information?
Who is objecting?
What is their objection?
What are the grounds for their objections?

Who is objecting? Answer: Mark Morse has numerous times complained about drones flying over The Villages.
What is their objection? Answer: When flyers say things like "The restaurant looks like it has a roof-top bar, first in The Villages..." when he hasn't announced it yet in the Daily Sun or on YouTube.
What are the grounds for their objections? Answer: None. You can't stop drone pilots from using the airspace over anything. No one owns the airspace except the government over specified areas.

Skip

[Goldwingnut]

Originally Posted by Rainger99

Florida drone laws.

Drone Laws in Florida (2025) - UAV Coach

A bit out of date, most current laws are:
Florida Statutes & Constitution FS330.41
Florida Statutes & Constitution FS330.411
Florida Statutes & Constitution FS935.50
eCFR :: 14 CFR Part 107 -- Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (FAR Part 107)

There are a couple of other minor administrative codes and local (non-Sumter county) code but none relevant to the issue at hand. 330.41(3)(b) prohibits most local interventions.

In the letters they pick and choose select sections and fail to notice the others that of course void any validity of their comments.

[HellToupee]

Looks like I picked a bad month to buy a drone

[GoRedSox!]

I know nothing about drones or the applicable laws other than the fact that I love watching drone videos. Since I can’t comment on this with any real knowledge, I will just offer my opinion that these YouTube videos are very positive and informative for this development. I knew nothing about this place until YouTube started placing videos in my feed. I suspect their algorithm knew how old I was. Skip Smith was the first YouTuber I watched and then came Jerry and Linda. The reason we came down here to check it out was 100% because of these videos. Jerry and Linda in particular because they produced a show that reliably posted every Monday and Thursday.

Two years after buying, I still watch virtually every YouTuber. I enjoy not only Papa’s drone videos, but the ones with driveway parties and interviews with residents.

Good luck to all.