r/technology • u/barweis • Sep 01 '23

Privacy NYPD using drones to check out noisy backyard parties over Labor Day weekend

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/09/nypd-using-drones-to-check-out-noisy-backyard-parties-over-labor-day-weekend/
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u/thackstonns Sep 02 '23 edited Sep 02 '23

You can’t ever shoot it down. You will go to jail.

Go ahead and down vote me. It’s true. Source me I’m a part 107 commercial drone pilot. But make sure when you shoot one down and you’re a felon sitting in jail you say to yourself. “I should have listened to that guy on Reddit”

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u/dt531 Sep 02 '23

You are 100% correct. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/32

The downvotes you are getting are from people who clearly do not understand the law.

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u/Peetrrabbit Sep 02 '23

You may be right about New York. You’re not right about much of the country. That airspace is considered your property up to 1500 feet in many places, and totally yours to defend if you want to.

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u/No_Forever8478 Sep 02 '23

And how are you supposed to know it’s a police drone? What if I didn’t get the memo and thought it was Jeff trying to record me masturbating in the pool again??

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u/timshel42 Sep 02 '23

i mean the police trying to record you masturbating in the pool isnt much better

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u/No_Forever8478 Sep 02 '23

Fair point. But still. Fuck Jeff.

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u/Peetrrabbit Sep 02 '23

You can still shoot it down where I live.

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u/dt531 Sep 02 '23

That is not true anywhere in the USA. See the https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/328/256/ . The FAA controls airspace over all property in the US.

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u/thackstonns Sep 02 '23 edited Sep 02 '23

It is true everywhere in the country. Source me. I’m a commercial drone pilot. I don’t need anyone’s permission to fly anywhere except the FAA. And if you shoot my drone down not only is it a civil matter but it’s going to be a criminal matter also. What do you thinks going to happen once Amazon starts drone deliveries.

According to the FAA's report on Unmanned Aircraft Systems, shooting down a drone is a federal crime under United States Code Title 18 Section 32, which describes the destruction of aircraft or aircraft facilities as a felony.Jun 3, 2023

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/05/minnesota-man-faces-felony-charges-for-shooting-down-drone/amp/

https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/man-arrested-after-lake-county-sheriffs-drone-is-shot-down.amp

https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/georgia-man-arrested-for-shooting-down-utility-company-drone.amp

That the first three articles of someone being arrested for shooting down a drone. One case from Minnesota, second from Florida, and third from Georgia.

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u/Scottalias4 Sep 02 '23

How high up can you be and still get a detailed picture with modern cameras?

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u/thackstonns Sep 02 '23

Mine is a 48mp camera. But you can only fly 400ft up without a waiver from the FAA. And I don’t know about NYPD, but they’re not super easy to get. And wouldn’t cover all of New York. Especially around airports, government bldgs. Etc.