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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:
BoomBoomsCousin · 04/07/2018 20:33

I don't think you overreacted OP, I would be concerned if someone flew a drone back and forth over my garden too. The losing your cool and calling him names was not good, but filming him wasn't a bad idea. Going to find him and getting his registration number might also have been useful.

The law has not caught up with the explosion in drone use. Like hidden cameras, they can be a huge invasion of privacy and I do think you have a reasonable expectation of privacy in a remote garden surrounded by high hedges etc. It's difficult to suggest anything legal you can do to protect yourself other than keeping records so if something develops you have evidence to show how it's come to this.

Limpopobongo · 04/07/2018 21:07

Is it ok for militant cyclists to film alleged or apparent motoring wrong doers and put the video on youtube?

glintandglide · 04/07/2018 21:10

No. What does that face to do
With this thread though? Your posts are quite random limpop

BoomBoomsCousin · 04/07/2018 22:46

They have to be fairly certain that a crime is or has been committed, then they make inquiries to enforce that and if they believe they have a case they can arrest,seek to charge,consult with CPS etc.

Not quite. The police merely have to reasonably suspect that a crime may have been committed, they don't have to be reasonably sure at all. Their enquiries include arrests (when appropriate) and interviews and are part of an investigation to determine whether crimes have been committed and what disposal is appropriate.

BossPeeBeePee · 05/07/2018 08:01

This reply has been deleted

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QueenofWhisperz · 05/07/2018 11:31

I'd get the shotgun out and shoot the drone down as it was on private property.

However, I think that my actions would be considered quite violent.

There is absolutely no need for his drone to be on your property, focused on your children.

Ifailed · 05/07/2018 11:36

There is absolutely no need for his drone to be on your property, focused on your children

It wasn't on her property and unless she's seen footage, she has no idea which way the camera was pointing.

As to using a shotgun, OP states her land is next to a bridleway, which is classed as a highway. it is an offence under the Highways Act 1980 if you shoot within 50ft of the centre of a highway.

PinkFlamingo888 · 05/07/2018 11:46

Article 8 of he human rights is right to private and family life. You and your children should not be being filmed in your house or garden. In public it’s a different matter however.
Even if the drone isn’t filming you though if it’s making a noise when you’re trying to relax in your garden and therefore causing you harassment, alarm or distress then it’s antisocial behaviour. Call 101.

glintandglide · 05/07/2018 12:00

Don’t waste police time with this because regardless of technicalities it’s not going anywhere. The police don’t enforce human rights, maybe she could spend millions of pounds taking him to the European Commission to be dealt with? Wink

Bingpot · 05/07/2018 12:39

Wow. I can't believe some of these replies! How can you argue the OP shouldn't have filmed him, but he has a right to film strangers on their private property? What a weird doublethink.

Good on you, OP. I don't think that was an overreaction at all. I'd also want an answer for why he repeatedly flew over your property and filmed it. And I would absolutely call it an invasion of privacy. Far worse than calling someone a paedophile in the heat of the moment. Funny that he got so angry, so quickly, eh?

I'd buy whatever they use for clay pigeon shooting. Clay pigeon and drones can look awfully similar sometimes.

BertrandRussell · 05/07/2018 13:10

I don't think he should have flown repeatedly over her garden either.

But the OP shouldn't have called him a paedophile.

RayneDance · 05/07/2018 14:58

I think once you transgress like he did you open yourself up to being called names.

I think flying this object over her property was a major transgression and is far worse than the shocked worried home owner calling him names.

Personally I don't want any drones coming anywhere near me, my family or our house.

If any drone stayed or hovered near any of us I will do my best to catch and destroy it.

It's not what I would expect anyone in my family to do. I would be appalled and make any of them profusely apologise and explain what they had been doing no matter what names they had been called.

BertrandRussell · 05/07/2018 15:02

Oh don't be silly. You can't call people paedophiles and perverts because you don't like their behaviour!

RayneDance · 05/07/2018 15:03

Arf at stamp collector.

The only thing is op I really wish you had called the police... Or 101 at least... And logged it.

RayneDance · 05/07/2018 15:08

Oh don't be silly.

You can't intrude into someone's personal space on this earth, their sanctuary, uninvited, unexpected and most unwelcome and not be expected to be called names. He was very lucky actually I know a few hot tempered men who would have decked him.

BertrandRussell · 05/07/2018 15:26

Thankful to say I dont know any men like that.

CaptainKirkssparetupee · 05/07/2018 15:32

And those men would be breaking the law.

BertrandRussell · 05/07/2018 15:36

Not sure calling someone a paedophile and a pervert is entirely legal either......

TheVanguardSix · 05/07/2018 15:46

OP, I'm with you all the way.
I can't understand the drone defenders either.
Our social boundaries are being reset at a rapid pace because of technology (technology is largely a good thing). I don't think people realise the risks. Better to be proactive than passive.

Whether he was filming or not is, by now, a moot point. What if the thing fell onto one of your kids and injured them? What the hell was he doing? Being a dick. That's what.

Your call was the right one, OP.

Mitzimaybe · 05/07/2018 15:49

I would hate this. It's totally different from the recent thread where the next door neighbour was looking out of his bedroom window into their garden. In your case, your garden is well screened from road / bridlepath / neighbouring properties and you have an assumption of privacy. If it's not illegal then it should be.

Alicatz66 · 05/07/2018 15:51

I think you can call people whatever you like !!

CaptainKirkssparetupee · 05/07/2018 15:54

I think you can call people whatever you like !!

No you can't

BertrandRussell · 05/07/2018 15:57

I'm not a drone defender. I'd hate it too. I'm just saying you can't call people paedophiles and perverts.

Notmyrealname85 · 05/07/2018 16:04

One thing - you can film scenery all you like. But if you are in a rural area, and out of that entire area a tiny amount is occupied by one property, then why fly over that property? It is an intrusion. We had issues with people doing this before burglaries, so it’s not always perverts

CaptainKirkssparetupee · 05/07/2018 16:10

Drone defender 😂

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