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???

I'd hate this. I really worry about drones intruding on privacy, plus the safety aspect.

I saw one flying over Looe beach, probably looking at the sunbathers.

Get a high powered laser and shine it into the camera, it won't be able to see anything and with luck will damage the camera

Nerf gun, assuming even if your aim is bad they will see what you are doing and not risk coming back.

I don't know the operating range of drones. I'm assuming it's a hobby drone? Do you think it's a neighbour?

What did it look like? Most of the ones owned by the general public are relatively small and controlled by an iPhone or similar. They don't have a big range and are strongly affected by any wind so it's likely to be a neighbour not too far away.

One of you distract it. The other one shoots it.

Throw a basket ball or two in its direction? I doubt they'd risk bringing it back over.

If you can get above it, eg bedroom window, you can just lob a whole bucket of water on it, no need for precise aim

Drones are so fucking annoying. There was an episode of judge rinder about this. Cant quite remember the case but do know the drone man was basically told to stop being a dick and flying it next to people.

Id be supersoaking it from an upstairs window.

Slingshot. You can shot a tennis ball at it. You dont need a massively good aim for that.

Laser pointer. By the time you get the super soaker out the bloody thing would be gone.How they going to prove anything?

What about getting a bigger drone, customise it a la Mad Max, and shred it to smithereens?

Keep a couple of buckets of filled water balloons in the garden. Don't over fill them, just enough to do damage. Also keep a bucket it the upstairs rooms. You'll eventually get the fucker. He will be back, because he knows he annoyed you and got away with it. The prick.

Just throw balls at it next time. Or like someone suggested get a drone and have a drone battle to the death!! (Please do that)

Yea, I think it is somebody living very nearby. I live on a large estate. This road is long and the road below has gardens backing onto ours. So when I can see it from my living room, it's not always over my garden, I can just see it above the gardens. I think it is owned by somebody living in these two rows. No idea who. I'm just really irritated to be told it's not an offence. The bloke thought it was at first. Told me 'well, somebody could take a photo of you in the street, but flying a drone over your garden and filming you is a bit different'. Everything I've seen online says that you are not allowed to fly within fifty metres of a person. How on earth is this enforced??

www.caa.co.uk/unmannedaircraft/

Article 166 para 3 might be a reason for complaint
(3) The person in charge of a small unmanned aircraft must maintain direct, unaided visual contact with the aircraft sufficient to monitor its flight path in relation to other aircraft, persons, vehicles, vessels and structures for the purpose of avoiding collisions.

Article 167 para 2 parts a and c might well apply.

(1) The person in charge of a small unmanned surveillance aircraft must not fly the aircraft in any of the circumstances described in paragraph (2) except in accordance with a permission issued by the CAA.

(2) The circumstances referred to in paragraph (1) are:

(a) over or within 150 metres of any congested area;

(b) over or within 150 metres of an organised open-air assembly of more than 1,000 persons;

(c) within 50 metres of any vessel, vehicle or structure which is not under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft;
or
(d) subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), within 50 metres of any person.
The person flying it must be within visual range

Congested area means
The Air Navigation Order defines a congested area as being 'any area of a city, town or settlement which is substantially used for residential, industrial, commercial or recreational purposes'.

I'd be afraid whoever was operating it would see it as a cat and mouse game if you started throwing things at it tbh.

Would water damage it? If so I'd lob water at it from an upstairs window but not sure if that would work - gravity and wind might blow the water back down on top of you?

The water gun thing is probably the best plan? Paint would just end up destroying your garden surely?

Google what can break/damage them and go from there?

I sit in my living room to breastfeed. I change my baby's nappy in there, I bathe the baby in there, my older son hangs around naked in there. We walk around in our underwear in our own home. Somebody is allowed to hover over my garden and look through the windows?? Am I supposed to keep the curtains closed all day?

If you can see your neighbours' gardens from your windows, check for someone standing in one with a phone/pad while looking skyward. Then go round and tell them to stop.

My guess is it's some kids or teens doing it. Personally, although they are fucking annoying when misused, I'd try finding out who it is before damaging it.

Yes, that's exactly how I think it'd be. They don't care about filming people on their own property. I imagine that the person enjoyed knowing that I couldn't stop them. And that if I attempt to chuck stuff at it, they'll think it's fun to come and harass me some more, knowing they're getting a reaction from me. Most of my neighbours don't use their gardens very frequently, seeing a person out there was probably quite exciting.

Air rifle?

Sorry, X post. I see you already tried that.

I wonder if you could block the signal somehow. Radio interference type loss of control. I bet you tube would have the answer.