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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

181 replies

Splandy · 14/07/2016 21:25

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???

OP posts:
RachelLynde · 14/07/2016 22:09

DH says get a fishing line and attach a lead weight to it so you can swing it round and then lassoo it down. He said catapult too but you said your aim isn't great. That would seriously piss me off. I'd have to take action if it came back. Super soaker is a great idea, I'd do that first.

Original poster
Splandy · 14/07/2016 22:09

I don't think I really care who owns it. I don't care whether it was a present for a teenager which would be destroyed. If they're old enough to be operating a drone they're old enough to accept the consequences of massively invading my family's privacy. I certainly wouldn't feel guilty about damaging it. Fucking hell, my husband thinks he's just seen it outside the fucking window. It has lights at night Angry

OP posts:
Lj8893 · 14/07/2016 22:10

This would really annoy me, I'm not surprised you are angry about it.

I would go with the bucket of water from an upstairs window personally.

2nds · 14/07/2016 22:10

I wouldn't give a shit if I'm breaking the law, if a drone was flying right over my garden I'd shoot that fucker down with whatever the fuck I had lying around, kids balls tennis rackets, plant pots, whatever.

elfycat · 14/07/2016 22:11

If it comes neat to your house, report it as pausing, and that your son was naked... someone might be filming the kids...

See if the police are interested in that.

Original poster
Splandy · 14/07/2016 22:12

We have a conservatory attached onto our living room and he saw it come down to the window. How the fuck is that legal?

OP posts:
Hereforthebeer · 14/07/2016 22:15

Say you want to speak to someone more senior and put it in writing too. Quote where you found out it was illegal from in your mail and say you want to report a crime and want the crime acknowledged. You are right to be concerned if its so near you house!

Onedaftmonkey · 14/07/2016 22:15

Supersoaker filled with paint.

Mummyme1987 · 14/07/2016 22:15

Call the police back and tell them it's peeping in your windows at night. Surely that's an offence!

redpinkblue · 14/07/2016 22:16

Can I ask, do you have any idea who Is responsible for this drone/owns it?

SemiNormal · 14/07/2016 22:17

I would tell the police that my child was out in the garden naked in a paddling pool and you suspect this drone may have captured images of said child. Harsh? Tough. They may think twice about flying it over your garden in future and they won't get into too much trouble if no images are found.

george1020 · 14/07/2016 22:17

Do you have any friends with a drone?
DH has one (uses for work sometimes) and if I had someone flying one near my windows or garden We would send ours up to work out where it was being operated from then go round.

Otherwise it really does sound like a water gun might be the only way.

ABCAlwaysBeCunting · 14/07/2016 22:19

Erm, WTF? You would falsely accuse someone of taking photos of your children naked because a drone was annoying you? That is fucking disgraceful.

ricketytickety · 14/07/2016 22:20

Film it and call the police again? So they can see how close it is. Also, whoever is doing it will think twice if they know you're filming their actions. How can they find out whose it is?

SemiNormal · 14/07/2016 22:21

Erm, WTF? You would falsely accuse someone of taking photos of your children naked because a drone was annoying you? That is fucking disgraceful. - No, try reading it again.

BastardGoDarkly · 14/07/2016 22:22

Can you not just steak it out if it's staying nearby? See if you can see where it lands? then go round and tear them a new one

PersianCatLady · 14/07/2016 22:23

Where exactly do you live? I am so angry for you that I am on my way round now with my pressure washer, that'll blast the fucking thing out of the sky.

SaggyNaggy · 14/07/2016 22:27

Next time it happens, if your oh is there, you stand under it to get its attention whilst oh slips out the front door. He can then try to follow it. Batteries dont last for ever, even if the pilot sees it being followed they can't fly too far too quick. Keep following it and the pilot will either lead your oh to them, where he can have a chat, or they'll run out of batteries where your oh can collect it and destroy it.

redheadmamma · 14/07/2016 22:29

I would absolutely be launching something at it! Water would be good, surely no illegal to have a water fight in your own garden/water the plants/clean the windows? Would scramble the electrics, problem solved! I really feel for you, I would hate that Angry

ABCAlwaysBeCunting · 14/07/2016 22:30

I did read it again and it looks the same.

Personally, i think attempting to paint someone as a paedophile with zero evidence is disgusting and the lowest of the low, but perhaps that's just my delicate sensibilities.

DownstairsMixUp · 14/07/2016 22:30

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

SaggyNaggy · 14/07/2016 22:30

Another suggestion would be a very powerful torch spotlight. When it comes, shine the torch, tolls block any photos or video, the pilot won't be able to see where he's going either.

Theorchard · 14/07/2016 22:35

I also like the mad max drone, idea, like robot wars in the sky!

SemiNormal · 14/07/2016 22:36

ABCAlwaysBeCunting Hardly attempting to paint someone out as a paedophile, I was thinking more along the lines of they may have inadvertently captured images rather than deliberately attempting to capture images of a naked child. If I deemed my garden private enough then my child would have been playing in his paddling pool naked when he was younger, a drone flying over could easily capture images of this sort and would, I imagine, open the flyer of said drone to all kinds of legal complications.

Another thing I worry about with drones is what if it was someone checking that a child was unattended in a garden so they could snatch it? Unlikely I know but a drone flying over my garden would instantly make me want to keep my child indoors. I'll do anything to protect my child and his privacy.

acasualobserver · 14/07/2016 22:37

Fight fire with fire. Buy your own (bigger) drone and engage theirs in a mid-air battle. Bonus points for playing The Ride of the Valkyires during the dogfight.