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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be concerned about drone catching images of my children in paddling pool

404 replies

Slightlygiganticpants · 04/07/2018 10:12

Last night whilst my dc were playing in the garden, (which is completely private and in a rural location, we have about 3 neighbours) a drone flew over several times. The dc were playing in the paddling pool at this time in various states of undress.

My dh got the children in and I went in search of the drone operator. Located him and started filming him with my phone. He was on the other side of the river from my house. He disliked my filming of him and we became engaged in a fairly heated debate with me calling him a pervert and possibly a peadophileBlush. Apparently what he was doing was completely legal (I believe drone was less than 50 meters from us but that is up for debate) and he wasn't filming the dc. He did also phone the police after I left and then came around and spoke to my dh.

I have looked into this since and have found out that this is legal! How? Surely this can't be right? Surely we have a right to privacy in our own garden!

OP posts:
ReggaetonLente · 04/07/2018 15:22

I’m surprised so many people would be so relaxed about this, I’d be really cross.

There aren’t ‘paedos on every corner’ of course, but there are enough about for us as parents to be wary and speak out against behaviour that makes us or our children uncomfortable.

On a childhood seaside day trip, I remember my mum having cross words with a man sat by himself on the beach filming other people’s kids with a camcorder. It’s always gone on.

If I was innocently flying my (non existent) drone around and was told I was unknowingly flying above someone’s in-use garden, I’d be mortified and stop and go and find some other bit of countryside to fly over. Not argue with them and keep doing it.

BossPeeBeePee · 04/07/2018 15:25

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BertrandRussell · 04/07/2018 15:35

There must, surely, be some middle ground between completely ignoring somebody flying his drone over your house and calling him a paedophile?

Buster72 · 04/07/2018 15:39

I don't know any criminal that uses a loud large buzzing arial device to plan a burglary. Most burglars are opportunist who will knock on your door and receiving no reply nip round the back and do the door.

There are many innocent daily devices that criminals use we can't ban them all.

Drones are a legitimate hobby and so long as they stay 50m from your house it is legit.

Unobtainable · 04/07/2018 15:40

A drone flew over my garden on Sunday afternoon.

I was sunbathing in a bikini and it went back and forth twice before disappearing.

I live in a row of a dozen houses, semi-rurally with fields in front and behind so I'm not sure if it was another resident of the road or somebody else. It made me feel really uncomfortable though. God help us when they start to manufacture silent drones, then we'd have no idea they're there.

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 04/07/2018 15:41

Do you know many criminals then, Buster?

Splandy · 04/07/2018 15:46

This happened over my garden two years ago. My children were out there and a drone kept hovering over. It continued throughout the evening, getting very close to my house. I was very angry about this invasion of privacy and called the police only to be told that there was nothing they could do as it wasn’t illegal. We live in a busy, residential area so I worked out where I thought it was coming from and knocked on the door. The owner showed me his drone to assure me that he wasn’t filming and apologised. He also knocked on my door the next day to apologise again and told me he would make sure not to bother us by flying the drone over our garden again. I think he was mortified and it hadn’t occurred to him that parents would be concerned that somebody was intentionally filming their children. I’ve hardly seen it since then. I can understand your anger - I felt exactly the same way and it took me by surprise. I think it was the thought that my children could be harmed in some way whilst in my care and there was nothing I could do about it...

BossPeeBeePee · 04/07/2018 16:15

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TorviBrightspear · 04/07/2018 16:22

Why do people keep asking how the OP knows the chap was filming when she's already posted:

However the man did confirm toy dh that he had been filming, however stated he was not filming our dc. He didn't really have a reason as to why he was filming our property.

She's mentioned the drone flew over several times. I think it could be either for filming the DCs, or scoping a rural house out for potential burglary prospects. Now the OP has filmed him, he won't be back.

BossPeeBeePee · 04/07/2018 16:25

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glintandglide · 04/07/2018 16:43

Well there basically are paedos on every corner. Ask anyone who works in child protection.

As for how the man knew there were children playing out- maybe he watches the area. That’s what voyeurs do, it’s not that mad a suggestion

SendYouUpInFlames · 04/07/2018 16:45

Yabu.

You can't go around calling people a fucking peodaphile and a pervert.

You don't know that, how dare you accuse someone of it.

BossPeeBeePee · 04/07/2018 16:58

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CaptainKirkssparetupee · 04/07/2018 17:04

typical mumsnet

cariadlet · 04/07/2018 17:08

I can understand the annoyance with the drone repeatedly flying over your property. I'd find the noise infuriating. But I do think you completely overreacted.

You have repeatedly said that your property is secluded and was quite a distance from the man who was flying the drone eg:
I don't think he would have been able to see the drone at all times. He was across a river and then we have trees and hedges (and fencing) surrounding our property.

I don't get how you make the leap to assuming he was filming your children. How on earth would he even know your children were in the garden let alone that they were splashing about in the paddling pool?

It's possible that he might have been (very noisily) scoping you out for a future burglary, but far more likely that he thought that if he was in a remote area he would disturb fewer people.

By filming him you were being very provocative. I'm not surprised that he was angry. And then to call him a pervert and paedophile was completely out of order. You escalated the whole situation.
It would have been far better to go over and politely explain that the noise was disturbing your family and would he mind flying his drone in a different direction.

Original poster
Slightlygiganticpants · 04/07/2018 17:18

Can I just ask all those posters who have taken issue with me filming him on public land, why is it ok for him to film us in our private garden? I find this very hypocritical of you really. So apparently he is justified in shouting at me because I filmed him?

I understand the reaction to me calling him a paedophile (after he had been shouting and screaming at me) but seriously what is the issue with the word pervert?

He had no need to fly over our garden repeatedly whatsoever. It was a massive invasion of privacy as was his filming.

OP posts:
HyacinthsBucket70 · 04/07/2018 17:25

I'd have been fuming OP. You have an absolute right to privacy in your own garden, and the fact that the drone flew over repeatedly would have made me furious. They are horribly intrusive and I'd have reacted in the same way.

glintandglide · 04/07/2018 17:26

Really boss? I was sexually assaulted by a man at 6am on a winters morning on a silent residential street. He wasn’t just passing on the off chance, he had been watching my routine.

Not uncommon at all.

NewYearNewMe18 · 04/07/2018 17:30

WWYD if it were Google Earth ? My NDN is shovelling concrete in a sweaty state of undress, pixellated face of course.

slashlover · 04/07/2018 17:33

You were angry he was possibly filming you and he was angry you were definitely filming him.

but seriously what is the issue with the word pervert?

REALLY? If someone called your DH a pervert then you'd be fine with that? Really?

Could the guy tell there was a house there if it was on the opposite side of a river/through trees etc.?

SaucyJack · 04/07/2018 17:34

Outrageous behaviour OP.

Can't the poor menz even film naked children on their own private property these days without being accused of being a pervert?

Original poster
Slightlygiganticpants · 04/07/2018 17:34

I think Google earth is slightly different don't you. I think this is more like someone stood on a step ladder with a camera.

OP posts:
Original poster
Slightlygiganticpants · 04/07/2018 17:39

I don't particularly find the word pervert that offensive.

OP posts:
glintandglide · 04/07/2018 17:40

I don’t think name calling is all that big deal really. Someone having a road rage moment called me a wanker this morning Grin

Limpopobongo · 04/07/2018 17:40

FFS this Godforsaken country is obsessed with CSE and similar. No man is safe,every man is a child abuser.Does this shit happen in other countries where men are guilty until proven innocent?

I could stand with a video cam in any high street in the UK and film and it would be legal. I could film on the beach and it would be legal.

I could film my own children in the bath or paddling pool naked and it would be legal