Abu to be incredibly angry about a drone flying over my garden??

[Splandy]

I have seen a drone flying over mine and my neighbours gardens for the past six months or so. Found it mildly annoying but it was a fair distance from my windows so didn't think about it too much. I could hear it tonight when i was in my garden. Looked around for it and it 'saw' me, so clearly has a camera attached. It stopped whizzing around and hovered above me, below the roof of my house, watching me. I am so fucking angry right now. Both rooms facing onto the garden have patio doors, so this person could potentially be watching me in my own home.

I called the police and they gave me an appointment for Monday. Yeah have since called back telling me that there isn't an offence being committed, so the appointment will be cancelled and the neighbourhood team may contact me instead. But may not. I told him that I'd easily found information online stating that a drone cannot be flown within 50 metres of a person, which it definitely was, but it made no difference. What if it had crashed into my house, which it was incredibly close to? What if it crashed into me?? I also believe I have a right to privacy on my own property. Made no difference, appointment cancelled. Am I supposed to just accept being fucking spied on in my own home and garden? I don't even open the blinds in my kitchen because i value my privacy and can easily be seen there, but have to accept that somebody can film me and my kids???

[Buggers]

If it does it again get a broom or something and wack it down. Or get the kids out and take it in turns throwing a ball at it.

[EsmeraldaEllaBella]

You need a big net

[Splandy]

It's not close enough for a broom, unfortunately. My husband just asked the same thing! Was below the roof of the house but not close enough to reach. I would shoot it out of the sky if I had the means. Who on earth is enough of a fucking idiot to think it's ok to do this??

[TheVermiciousKnid]

Supersoaker?

[stiffstink]

It might seem like overkill but you could contact the Information Commissioner or even the Civil Aviation Authority if you are near to an airport.

[BerriesandLeaves]

That's awful. I'd hate that.

[akkakk]

You don't legally have privacy from cameras - e.g. someone can stand outside your house and take photos of it / you..

The law is not up to date yet with the drone's ability to bring that right into your property...

However, there is equally no law to stop you throwing a tennis ball in your garden, or better still shaking out a sheet or blanket with that floaty effect so that it settles over the drone - plenty of options if you start thinking creatively, water fight / water the garden with a hose / catch with the children / throwing a frisby / carrying a broom over your shoulder down the garden, it is even legal to use an air rifle / catapult or bow and arrows in your back garden, if your garden is big enough it could even be legal to use a shotgun

I used to own a drone, no excuse in flying it over someone else's property...

[Splandy]

Excuse typos in original post. iPad is very enthusiastic in correcting 'errors'. What can I do legally though? Everything I have found online says not within 50 metres of person, building etc. So not in your back garden or a park. Advice from ico states that anybody flying a drone and capturing video must be doing so fairly and lawfully. Doing it in a way that it is directly over your neighbours property and they can't see who is flying it is not fair or lawful. If doing so frequently, it can be considered harassment. You can be prosecuted for damage to people or property. I really value my privacy and am so pissed off right now.

[Jelliebabe1]

Seriously would get a fucking hose and get it! Nasty😤

[Mommawoo]

Yanbu. I fucking hate those things and have been known to throw stones at ones that strayed too close to me.

Get a supersoaker and blast it, or paint FUCK OFF in big letters on a piece of card and hold it up next time it comes. Preferably while giving the finger.

[BerriesandLeaves]

Hose is a good idea

[DoreenLethal]

If a drone came into my garden, I'd get one of my long fruit picking tools and knock the fucker down the first time, let alone after 6 months!

[Deux]

High powered hose. Do you think that would reach? Air rifle?

I might be imagining this, but don't we have rights over the area above ground level on our properties.

I feel for you. I'd find that really disconcerting.

[Splandy]

Haha, I think I'd embarrass myself if I attempted to knock it out of the sky! I have terrible aim. I think that the drone pilot may now be far more interested in my house and garden because I was spotted. They definitely intentionally brought it over me to watch me. I know what you mean, akkakk. Owning a drone, fine. Flying it over other people's houses and gardens to watch them?? Surely must be a teenager. I don't want to believe that an adult is stupid enough to think that's acceptable.

[Theorchard]

Is your house one or two storeys? Could you throw a weighted net on from above? Bedroom window? Or super soaker as pp said, but from bedroom window?
Ynabu

[TamaraHiddlestoned]

But it will see you get hose, soaker etc out & fly away.
Won't you be committing an offence of criminal damage, if you do hit it?

[DocMcFanjo]

Power hose.

Swinging a baseball bat around might be useful if it got close enough.

Piercing LED torchlight right into the lens?

Super soaker filled with paint?

[Splandy]

Don't have an outdoor tap, so no hose. I can't think of anything I have which could knock it down!

[QueenLaBeefah]

A pressure washer might be a good idea.

There is something very menacing about drones. We recently had one buzzing about and it did creep me out.

[TrionicLettuce]

If you don't have a hosepipe I can highly recommend this, the water goes for miles.

[Theorchard]

If it is looking at op dh can soak it from above. I'm assuming it's a cyclops

[DocMcFanjo]

You can say you weren't aiming for it, just casually spraying your garden with paint as you do every evening.

[Splandy]

I hope it wouldn't get close enough for me to hit it with a baseball bat! It could do some damage if it hit me.

[Griphook]

Aldi do pressure water spray things at the moment, so you can pre fill it and pre pump it.

[DocMcFanjo]

Maybe throw the baseball bat at it instead then? Just make life difficult for it.

Ooh, what about one of those tennis ball launchers?!