Unauthorized drone surveillance is an increasingly common occurrence, but it can throw up legal implications that many people are not aware of. If you find yourself in the position of being followed by a drone, it’s important to understand your rights and the legal implications of this type of surveillance. Even though unauthorized drone surveillance is becoming more frequent, there are a few key steps you can take to ensure that you remain protected. This article will discuss the legal implications of unauthorized drone surveillance and what to do if you see a drone following you. It will provide an overview of the laws governing drone surveillance, as well as advice on how to respond and protect your privacy. By understanding the legal implications of drone surveillance and taking the right steps, you can make sure that you remain safe and secure.
Why Would A Drone Be Following Me?
Law Enforcement
Law enforcement agencies are increasingly turning to drones to provide real-time surveillance of crime scenes and other areas of interest. This real-time footage can then be used as evidence in court. In order to fly a drone, law enforcement agencies must follow the rules set out by the FAA. The FAA has strict regulations regarding the commercial use of drones in U.S. airspace. Currently, the FAA has not permitted commercial drones to fly over people, but this may change in the future. While the FAA regulations governing law enforcement drone use do place some restrictions on how drones can be flown, many believe that these restrictions are not sufficient to protect the privacy of citizens from unwarranted surveillance by drones. A number of organizations are currently working to protect the privacy of citizens from the growing use of drones. One such organization is the Drone Privacy Project, which has created a guide for how people can protect their privacy from drones.
Media
Media organizations often use drones to get unique shots. Sometimes, these shots include images of people. In these cases, media organizations may have obtained permission from those people before taking their shots. However, in some cases, media organizations may have taken images of people without their knowledge or consent. Many people have reported being followed by drones while they were walking in public. In some cases, the people being followed did not know why they were being followed. It is possible that the people following them were journalists taking images for a news story. However, it is also possible that the people following them were paparazzi taking images for gossip magazines or tabloids. The lack of regulation around the use of drones by media organizations has made it harder for individuals to protect their privacy from drones. This is particularly true for people who live near famous people, as they are often followed by drones belonging to media organizations.
Private Investigators
Some private investigators are turning to drones to aid their investigations. The ability of a drone to follow someone and take images could make it easier for a private investigator to collect evidence during an investigation. Private investigators often need a court order to follow a person with a drone. In some jurisdictions, private investigators may be required to obtain written permission from the person being followed. However, private investigators are often not subject to the same restrictions as law enforcement. In many cases, they will be able to fly a drone that is closer to a person than law enforcement would be permitted to.
Businesses
Some businesses are turning to drones to monitor their properties and employees. Drones can be used to patrol a business property, monitor a warehouse, or keep an eye on workers. Businesses often use drones for legitimate purposes, such as monitoring energy usage or keeping an eye on goods and employees. However, some businesses may have broken the law by using a drone to monitor employees and their activities during work hours.
Stalkers
Stalkers often use a variety of methods to track their victims, including drones. A stalker might use a drone to keep track of their victim’s home, work, and other places they frequent. This can make it more difficult for victims to protect themselves, as they may not know they are being followed by a drone. In addition to following victims, stalkers can also use drones to take images of residences that are near their victim’s homes.
Overview Of Laws Governing Drone Surveillance
- Drone surveillance is legally regulated in various ways. First, there is the issue of whether the drone operator has permission to be there at all.
- Generally, a drone operator needs permission to fly over private property, although there are some exceptions to this rule, like if the drone is in pursuit of a fugitive.
- Beyond that, drone operators also need to get permission from the people they are watching or listening to, or risk breaking the law.
- This means that if an operator or someone hired by an operator is following you with a drone, you have the right to ask them to stop. If they refuse, there are ways you can report them and get them in trouble – whether they are professionals or hobbyists.
What To Do If You See A Drone Following You?
- If you see someone with a drone following you, don’t panic. While it is a very suspicious and intimidating situation, you have the right to take action and make sure the drone operator stops what they are doing.
- If you feel unsafe, you can also report the incident to the police, who can take action against the operator and ensure your safety. If you don’t feel unsafe, but would like the drone operator to stop, you can still report them and make sure they don’t break the law again.
- If you see someone with a drone following you, the first thing you should do is ask them to stop immediately. If they refuse, you can report them to the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) or your local law enforcement agency.
- You can also ask the drone operator who they work for so that you can report the incident to the company. If you’re in a public place and someone is following you with a drone, try to make as much noise as possible to draw attention to the situation.
- You can also try to get as close as you can to the drone so that it is harder for the operator to see you. If you’re in a private place, like your home or yard, you may want to get out your phone and take a picture of the drone. Once you have a photo, you can report it to the FAA and help them track down who is responsible.
- You can also take photos or videos of the operator and the name of their drone. This can be helpful if you decide to take legal action against the operator.
How To Protect Your Privacy?
- If you want to make sure that your privacy is protected from the increasing number of drone operators, there are a few things you can do. The first thing is to make sure that your home or property is visible from the air, so that drone operators know they are not allowed to fly over your property.
- You can do this by putting up a sign or flag that makes your property clearly visible from the air. You can also take other steps to make your home more visible from the air, like putting lights on your roof or in your yard.
- Another way to protect your privacy is to use jamming technology that blocks unwanted drone communications. This can ensure that no one can see or hear your home using a drone.
- You can also use technology that allows you to track and control nearby drones that are flying over your property without permission. This will also allow you to contact the drone operator and let them know they are not allowed to fly over your property.
- Finally, you can use technology that blocks cell signals, which will make it harder for drones to communicate with their controllers.
How To Avoid A Drone Following You?
- There are a variety of ways to avoid being followed by a drone. If you think you are being followed by a drone, you can try to signal the drone operator that you do not want to be followed.
- Some drone operators will follow people’s instructions, while others may ignore them. You can try to signal the drone operator in a variety of ways.
- You can try to make eye contact with the drone operator or use your hands to signal that you don’t want to be followed. You can also turn around and walk in the opposite direction.
Conclusion
As we have seen, unauthorized drone surveillance is an increasingly common occurrence. While this is often done by people who are simply curious, it can also be done in an attempt to gather sensitive or private information. In either case, it is important to know your rights and what you can do in response. If you find yourself in the position of being followed by a drone, there are a few key things you can do to protect your privacy and respond appropriately.
