Where to report misuse of a drone?

Thoie · 12-12-2019 1:18pm #1

I live in a standard housing estate in a large town. Lately someone has been flying a drone around during the day, dipping into gardens. I haven't figured out where the controller is, or I'd speak to them directly.

I work from home, and yesterday and today the drone has come right up to my bedroom window and hovered there "looking" in. It also seemed to have a good nose around my garden yesterday as well. I half considered opening the window and grabbing the bloody thing and wait for the owner to come find me, but I presume the correct approach is to report it to someone, but who? The gardaí? The IAAA?

Irishphotodesk · 12-12-2019 1:23pm

Thoie wrote: »

I live in a standard housing estate in a large town. Lately someone has been flying a drone around during the day, dipping into gardens. I haven't figured out where the controller is, or I'd speak to them directly.

I work from home, and yesterday and today the drone has come right up to my bedroom window and hovered there "looking" in. It also seemed to have a good nose around my garden yesterday as well. I half considered opening the window and grabbing the bloody thing and wait for the owner to come find me, but I presume the correct approach is to report it to someone, but who? The gardaí? The IAAA?

It's a tough one ... You should report it to the gardai but they are unlikely to be able to follow up or catch them, they might however have a patrol car travel around the area a bit more regularly.

Drones can be and are often used by criminals to check out potential for home/farm burglaries.

Unfortunately even if you or the gardai caught the person operating the drone it's unlikely to result in a conviction of any significance.

If you wanted to stop them you could purchase or make an EMP gun which would render the drone (or anything electrical within range) as useless.... Defending your property of course.

kennethsmyth · 12-12-2019 1:26pm

Thoie wrote: »

I live in a standard housing estate in a large town. Lately someone has been flying a drone around during the day, dipping into gardens. I haven't figured out where the controller is, or I'd speak to them directly.

I work from home, and yesterday and today the drone has come right up to my bedroom window and hovered there "looking" in. It also seemed to have a good nose around my garden yesterday as well. I half considered opening the window and grabbing the bloody thing and wait for the owner to come find me, but I presume the correct approach is to report it to someone, but who? The gardaí? The IAAA?

In fairness thats not on, I have a drone and if I went up to someones window with it I should expect to lose it permanently

antix80 · 12-12-2019 1:30pm

If you had the opportunity you should have grabbed it and left it with the gardai.

I'm not sure if a trespass case has ended up before irish courts, but there are definitely privacy issues and possibly data protection as they're using a camera. They're possibly using it to scope the area so may be using it as part of planning theft.

Thoie · 13-12-2019 10:50am

Thanks all. If I see it around again, I'll leave the window ajar and grab it - I presume they're designed to stop the blades spinning if it comes in contact with something, and won't take my arm off?

The privacy issue is the main one. While it is an estate, and technically the neighbours behind me could see me if we both stood at the back windows, in general I don't expect to be seen at the back of the house, and have nets at the front, so I'm not exactly inviting observation there either.

Am I correct in that drones shouldn't be flown over populated areas like this? And that the operator should be in line of sight of the drone at all times?

antix80 · 13-12-2019 11:20am

Baseball bat

FishOnABike · 13-12-2019 11:54am

Thoie wrote: »

Thanks all. If I see it around again, I'll leave the window ajar and grab it - I presume they're designed to stop the blades spinning if it comes in contact with something, and won't take my arm off?

The privacy issue is the main one. While it is an estate, and technically the neighbours behind me could see me if we both stood at the back windows, in general I don't expect to be seen at the back of the house, and have nets at the front, so I'm not exactly inviting observation there either.

Am I correct in that drones shouldn't be flown over populated areas like this? And that the operator should be in line of sight of the drone at all times?

Use of drones is regulated by The Small Unmanned Aircraft (Drones) and Rockets Order, 2015 (SI 563 of 2015) but this does not apply to drones under 1kg which are flown lower than 15 metres.

Under the order a drone should not be operated
# at a distance of less than 30 metres from a person, vessel, vehicle or structure not under the direct control of the operator;
# at a distance of less than 120 metres from an assembly of 12 or more persons not under the direct control of the operator;
# beyond direct unaided visual line of sight and not farther than 300 metres from the point of operation

If the drone is greater than 1kg they would be in breach of the above order.

This article https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/farming/drones-the-legal-position-of-users-895371.html indicates drones below 1kg can be flown without a permit, provided they remain no more than 15 metres above ground level, and no more than 300 metres from the operator.

Someone who is familiar with flying drones and the regulations governing them might be able to advise the regulations regarding small (less than 1kg) drones.

Hocus Focus · 17-12-2019 6:54pm

antix80 wrote: »

Baseball bat

Shotgun!

Thoie · 18-12-2019 10:39am

Hocus Focus wrote: »

Shotgun!

If I find a drone annoying in a housing estate, I think it's fair to say that clay pigeon (or drone) shooting from the bedroom window may not be appreciated by the other neighbours. Particularly as I'm out of practice, and it may take a while, 3 sheds, 5 windows and a satellite dish to get my eye in.

coolwings · 19-12-2019 1:12pm

Just wait and follow it home.
Batteries run down and need swopping out or recharging so it shouldn't take long.
if it is being flown from a rear of a house the propeller sound will still give away the location.

A second point. The drone may not be illegal but trespass is. Not a big thing but a nuisance. You are entitled to be irritated if it comes to a window.

Also, "casing the joint" is called suspicious behaviour, and that gives police authority to investigate further. If they choose to when you make a report. A series of break-ins in the district together with such a report definitely would be cause for investigation.

CathalDublin · 28-12-2019 4:13pm

Thoie wrote: »

Thanks all. If I see it around again, I'll leave the window ajar and grab it - I presume they're designed to stop the blades spinning if it comes in contact with something, and won't take my arm off?

How close are they flying to your window that you’d be able to grab it, they’d want to be a pretty good pilot to get within inches or you’d want some pretty long arms

Either way I wouldn’t be putting my hand next nor near it if you like your fingers, a towel should do the trick

[Deleted User] · 10-01-2020 11:33pm

Thoie wrote: »

I presume they're designed to stop the blades spinning if it comes in contact with something, and won't take my arm off?

Most will take your arm off. Some are designed to stop upon hitting something, but even at that they need a decent clatter - you'd still cut the hands of yourself.

If it's appearing in the same area repeatedly, it's likely not a criminal mastermind, more likely just someone that got one and is playing with it.

Not the right area to be playing with it, and i appreciate it's a nuisance nonetheless, but trying to be realistic. I wouldn't be too paranoid about criminals, etc.

Thoie · 13-01-2020 1:17pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Most will take your arm off. Some are designed to stop upon hitting something, but even at that they need a decent clatter - you'd still cut the hands of yourself.

If it's appearing in the same area repeatedly, it's likely not a criminal mastermind, more likely just someone that got one and is playing with it.

Not the right area to be playing with it, and i appreciate it's a nuisance nonetheless, but trying to be realistic. I wouldn't be too paranoid about criminals, etc.

As it happens, having appeared a few days running, I haven't seen it since posting originally, so it's quite likely someone had got a new toy, and was trying it out. Hopefully they've since learned that a housing estate is not the right place.

I wasn't so concerned with it being a criminal mastermind, as a nosey f****r who was peeking in windows. When I'm working, or on a conference call, I don't want to be stared at, nor bothered by the noise of it. If a human had put a ladder up against my back wall and stood on it looking right in my office window I'd be equally unimpressed.

Anyway, hopefully they've found somewhere more appropriate to use it. If it does turn up again that close I'll intercept it with a mop handle.

dingledosser · 17-01-2020 1:13am

Thoie wrote: »

Thanks all. If I see it around again, I'll leave the window ajar and grab it - I presume they're designed to stop the blades spinning if it comes in contact with something, and won't take my arm off?

Eh, ask Enrique Iglesias.

enrique-iglesias-drone-attack.jpg?w=1242&h=698

the_syco · 17-01-2020 1:27am

If it comes into your garden again, kick / throw a football or frisbee/bin lid at it.

10-10-20 · 17-01-2020 2:02am

Chuck a bunched twine or wool ball at it. That will tangle the rotors with less risk of injury.

WoollyRedHat · 17-01-2020 2:06am

Maybe it's looking for some drone friends to play with

adrian92 · 17-01-2020 2:09am

Someone suggested an EMP device.

What is that?

fritzelly · 17-01-2020 2:18am

Electro magnetic pulse, dunno maybe Google is not working today

Thoie · 17-01-2020 10:03am

the_syco wrote: »

If it comes into your garden again, kick / throw a football or frisbee/bin lid at it.

10-10-20 wrote: »

Chuck a bunched twine or wool ball at it. That will tangle the rotors with less risk of injury.

Between these ideas and shot guns, people really seem to be overestimating my ability to shoot/throw/kick straight, but I appreciate the vote of confidence.

adrian92 wrote: »

Someone suggested an EMP device.

What is that?

I'm not setting off an EMP device while standing in my office full of electronic items, even if Q would issue me with one.

Thanks to dingledosser's example, I also won't be using my own body parts to try snag it.

TuringBot47 · 17-01-2020 11:56am

Maybe use some form of a sling/slingshot and a stone at them.... but not easy to hit and you could break a window or the like nearby.

Or a tennis ball with a long string/ribbon on it, so it has more chance of tangling the rotors.

the_syco · 18-01-2020 2:20pm

Thoie wrote: »

Between these ideas and shot guns, people really seem to be overestimating my ability to shoot/throw/kick straight, but I appreciate the vote of confidence.

Tape a bin lid to a bamboo stick, and swat it like you would with a fly?

Where to report misuse of a drone?

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