When Brett McBay discovered a drone flying over his property, he had his son shoot it down with a shotgun — and he, not the owner of the drone, was the one who was punished.
The unmanned aerial vehicle belonged to his neighbor, Eric Joe, who insisted that he hadn’t flown it over McBay’s property. McBay claimed he called for the shotgun thinking that the drone was a “CIA surveillance device.”
Joe took the case to court and won $850 in damages.
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McBay is not alone in his apparent aversion to drones, as most Americans have not yet adapted to private ownership of the new technology. A February Reuters poll of 2,400 Americans found that 73 percent want regulations on drone use, and 42 percent completely oppose private ownership of drones. These numbers suggest general uneasiness about drone safety and potential privacy violations.
Statistics validate safety concerns over drones. The Federal Aviation Administration reported that 193 drones nearly hit crowds and aircraft between late February and early November 2014. But McBay’s main concern was privacy, since some drones carry cameras or other recording devices.
Most drone operators probably go unpunished, because it’s often hard to tell what they’re being used for. Last week, a New York jury acquitted David Beesmer for allegedly spying on hospital patients. Patients had complained about the drone hovering near their windows. Beesmer claimed he was not intentionally spying.
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People may soon also have to worry about businesses flying drones near their homes. The FAA expects to finalize regulations for commercial use within the next year. Online shopping giant Amazon anticipates delivering packages by drone once the FAA permits it. FAA regulations currently allow recreational and official use but restrict for-profit drones.
With pending regulations potentially making drone use more prevalent, it’s likely a rise in accusations of privacy violations will follow.
Emily Leayman is an intern at the Washington Examiner
