Under traditional common law everything above your property up to outer space was your property and thus covered by traditional trespass laws. Under United States v. Causby, 1946, this was revisited for the aviation age and the generally accepted figure was that everything up to 80 feet above the highest feature on your property was your property. So yes, there's no law as such that says you're trespassing if you're under 80 feet, but that US Supreme Court ruling about traditional common law and how it applies in the aviation age means that the local cops (who get paid big bucks by Apple) probably won't have any qualms about arresting you for trespassing if you're standing on Tantau and fly your copter at less than 80 feet over Apple's property.
Methinks the law will need changing. These drones will have cameras that can zoom. Drones need to be banned within a mile of private property, in my humble opinion.
Methinks the law will need changing. These drones will have cameras that can zoom. Drones need to be banned within a mile of private property, in my humble opinion.
It really depends on why the drone is where it is and what privacy is being invaded, if any.
Comments
Under traditional common law everything above your property up to outer space was your property and thus covered by traditional trespass laws. Under United States v. Causby, 1946, this was revisited for the aviation age and the generally accepted figure was that everything up to 80 feet above the highest feature on your property was your property. So yes, there's no law as such that says you're trespassing if you're under 80 feet, but that US Supreme Court ruling about traditional common law and how it applies in the aviation age means that the local cops (who get paid big bucks by Apple) probably won't have any qualms about arresting you for trespassing if you're standing on Tantau and fly your copter at less than 80 feet over Apple's property.
Methinks the law will need changing. These drones will have cameras that can zoom. Drones need to be banned within a mile of private property, in my humble opinion.
It really depends on why the drone is where it is and what privacy is being invaded, if any.