Get yourself a pet raptor. Apparently they are quite territorial:

According to Federal Aircraft Regulations (FAR 91.119) Aircraft must maintain AT LEAST 1000' agl over populated areas, 500' over rural areas.

Hmmm, I thought you did own the airspace above your property. 'How far up" was debatable, but ownership of airspace over your property is not in question. For Causey vs US Government, chicken farmer named Thomas Lee Causby sued the US government for flying approximately 83 feet above his property, the noise of which caused a bunch of Causby’s chicken’s to accidentally kill themselves by running into walls. Causby won his case and the courts agreed that although a property owner wasn’t entitled to own all of the air above their land, they were entitled to enough so that planes they were entitled to enough that planes flying overhead wouldn’t kill their chickens. See case here.

I figure that if it is close enough to disturb the peace and within close range, that one should be able to take actions to restore the peace.

I hear that super soakers can work well.

Here is a how to:

?How to Shoot Down a Drone

Right On!!

It appears that drones have actually forced the FAA and NTSB to define aircraft and airspace very broadly. Essentially, any device used for flight is an aircraft (including teeny tiny toys). And anywhere that an aircraft can safely navigate (which is virtually everywhere above the ground) is airspace and under the FAA's jurisdiction. The linked article quotes an FAA representative who says this is the FAA's position.

I think there is a difference between a drone flying close and one filming. Most have the ability to film these days. And if it's in my yard and I can hit it with a stick or my hose, it's going down. Just playing with the dog or watering my lawn, officer.

Just note that in the past, people destroying another person's drone even on their own property have been arrested and had to pay for the damage. Also if the drone is recording, you could have a much harder time making the case that it was an "accident".

If I were on a jury for someone being tried for bringing down a drone that was buzzing them, invading their privacy, etc. not only would I vote for acquittal, I would also acquit them if they hunted the owner down and beat them senseless with it.

How do they they get the video feed back to the controller? Range?

The video is usually recorded on a SD card on the drone itself. But also drones such as the DJI Phantom can transmit a live video feed back to the controller. DJI claims a range of 1.2 miles.

They would have to be able to find the drone first. As a photographer, I am pretty familiar with rights, usage and privacy issues concerning photography and filming. Something close enough to look into windows? My privacy being violated. Out.

OK, so if you were photographing and happened to be on private property, then the property owner can seize your camera smash it because it is possible to violate privacy with it? No way. Just because a drone isn't being held in another person's hands doesn't mean that it's legal to destroy it, even if it is violating your privacy.

You guys are crazy about your privacy. Have you ever been on a boat on a canal at night? You can see into every single house along the canal/river.

Blinds were invented for a reason.

Besides, if someone accidently sees you naked, big deal. Everyone has seen a naked person of the opposite sex at least once in their life. Frankly I think people in the US are far too afraid of nudity. If someone is being a peeping tom, then call the cops on them. Otherwise stop worrying about things that shouldn't deserve your worry. Life is too short.

The EASIER way to deal with someone flying a quadrotor over your property would be to go talk to them and ask them to not fly their quadrotor over your property. But people are afraid to TALK to each other now-a-day since the advent and popularization of anonymity over the internet.

If I couldn't find the person flying the quadrotor and they were "buzzing" me, I'd grab the quadrotor, tie it to something heavy, with a note in range that says "If you want your quadrotor back come to this address." Then ask them nicely not to fly their toy over your property. If they ignore you and do it again, then and only then would I try something more drastic.

The courts said the owner does NOT own the air space above his land or every transcontinental flight would have to be grounded. But the owner does have right above his land that is violated if "a direct and immediate interference with the enjoyment and use of the land." is determined. Also with this ruling they set no heights or guidelines. They did determined the Air Force's constant and low passes over his land was that type of violation.

So unless the flying of a drone over someone's land is determined by the courts to be "a direct and immediate interference with the enjoyment and use of the land." they have a right to be there.

If it is an aircraft it must operate above 500' over sparsely populated areas and 1000' over populated areas.
So while you might or might not get in trouble for swatting a drone, the operator is committing a very expensive FAA violation.

By FAA rules, hobby remote control aircraft must operate UNDER 400'

My take on all this is:

1) don’t destroy any property;
2) if it is "a direct and immediate interference with the enjoyment and use of the land" then I would consider it harassment.
3) tie it to something heavy, with a note in range that says "If you want your quadrotor back come to this address." I like this idea but wonder if someone would consider this theft or some sort of kidnapping.

So let’s reconsider the situation if the drone were instead, someone’s unleashed dog. I don't think you are allowed any action unless the dog actually bit you or done any damage to your bike or other property.

Take a look at this story, where something that seems obvious isn't.

http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/20...ine-beach.html

Using a gun on a hobby drone is absurd, and makes you THE public danger. BUT a hose or even a pressure washer makes total sense to me :)

But don't hobby remote control aircraft have to be in direct sight of the controller? I thought that was a big part of the discussion—that a drone is not a hobby remote control aircraft.

Supposed to be, but just because you can't see the operator, does not mean the operator can't see the drone.

So, exactly how would you report a drone incident to the Feds since they claim jurisdiction? This is kind of like reporting a speeding automobile to the police. The only FAA offices that likely take drone reports are generally regional/district offices, and don't exactly have a patrol car that can run around checking on drone issues. (end of snark). Unless you're flying an aircraft and have a drone encounter, I doubt that the FAA can do much for you.

Just my 2 cents. A drone passing over my property en route to someplace else, at a reasonable height, is not an issue. A drone hovering 8 feet above my swimming pool or just outside my bedroom window would have a lot different view than from the road, and might be a problem.

That raises some interesting questions.
If there's an unwelcome drone or photographer on ones property, is it a criminal action to turn on ones sprinkler system to encourage their departure, knowing it may damage the camera or drone?
Would I no longer have the right to throw a ball, spray water from a hose, fly my drone, or any other legal activity I would normally do in my own yard if someone decided to fly a drone there?

I think it would be reasonable to treat a drone with a camera as a proxy for the operator. So if you're doing something with a drone that you couldn't get away with yourself, it's going to cause problems. In a 'stand your ground' state, I suppose that shooting it down would be permissable, but I wouldn't want to go to court as the test case. That's the problem with drones right now - there's very few laws to govern their use, so everything will have to be litigated to determine who can do what. Luckily, I don't have a problem neighbor and the paparazzi have been leaving me alone lately. :)

That's fixed wing. Rotocraft are allowed and expected to fly lower.

We've had a lot of discussion on drones and the possible consequences of putting one out of commission but it seems we're forgetting about the operator. In my opinion, anyone who wants to fly into close proximity of or over another person's home, yard or pool to watch them is either immature, juvenile, a pervert, something worse, or a private detective working for any number of possible clients. Something worse could be someone considering committing a crime against you or your home and gathering information to assist them in this effort. A private detective could be working for anyone from a divorce attorney to an insurance agency.

As for buzzing people and possibly hurting someone, my opinion is this is not a normal decent person and they fall into the category of malicious and cowardly vermin.

I couldn't open the link to the US Open drone crash so I found one I coiuld open and I am posting it here...

Tennis Officials Eye Security After Drone Crashes at US Open - ABC News

Seems the FAA is already putting limits on where a drone can be used.

John