A few weeks ago, I posted a thread about living with Short Term Rentals

[Coventina]

and the way it has degraded our neighborhood.

Well, as of last night, add another: DRONES!

The property directly behind me is an STR, and the current occupants have a drone that they are using to explore the neighborhood.

It was hovering over my backyard (unbeknownst to me) when I went outside in my state of dishabille to check on my TNR colony of cats.

I hear a weird buzzing noise, and to my dismay, a drone is right above my head!

I immediately went back inside my house, told my husband, and he didn't believe me, so he went out there and saw for himself.

He saw it make a circuit of our yard, then move to our next door neighbors, but he could hear the occupants laughing about it from the other side of the hedges.

Seems we can't even enjoy the privacy of our yard anymore.

[intrepidity]

1. Keep a flyswatter handy nt

[mopinko]

2. do you know which company? report that shit.

[Coventina]

3. Is it against the law? It seems like it should be, but I honestly don't know. n/t

[mopinko]

9. the companies can and will blackball asshole customers.

end them a message about asshole behavior, illegal or not. i know airbnb has been trying to crack down on the party house crap.

[Bev54]

4. They could be scoping out to find things to steal. I know that was happening in

a friend's neighbourhood. They were scoping houses and then would go late at night to take valuables. Saves them a lot of time.

[Coventina]

5. Ugh. What a menace! Then, check out and be gone!

Pretty slick.

I hate my species.

[lpbk2713]

11. That might work.

Tell the police you are genuinely concerned they are doing recon for nefarious
purposes and that might give them a reason to dispatch a car to you home.
After that you could tell the property owner the police were investigating.

[Samrob]

6. Well, there's something an AK-15 could be used for.

The only thing that will stop a bad guy with a drone is a good guy with a gun.

[Coventina]

7. Exactly why I don't have guns. I recognize I do not have the emotional maturity to own one.

Because if I did own one, I would have shot at it.




(I'm overstating my frame of mind, but it was infuriating!)

[2naSalit]

28. Slingshot.

[yonder]

34. Yes, another DU thread today mentioned a Wrist Rocket.

Makes sense to me.

[msdogi]

8. Vacation rentals are a nightmare

Anyone who has had one of these started in their neighborhood know they ruin a community. We had one started in what was a very long term residential neighborhood and it's been awful. Just the endless parade of strangers is enough to make us all hate even the term short term rental.
Our county is finally discussing putting some constraints on permitting, as are many other places that have seen the ugly reality of a vacation rental.
These are commercial ventures that have no on site management and benefit only the greedy owners.

[Retrograde]

15. I try to behave myself in a vacation rental

We like them because there's a bit more room compared to a hotel, we can save a bit on making breakfast or a light dinner (although we like to patronize local restaurants), and because they often have washers, a big plus on a longish vacation. And it gives us a glimpse of local customs.

However, we're in our late 60s and these days our idea of a wild time is staying up late enough to watch the local news.

[Demovictory9]

10. different mindset in people in STR, AirnBnbs.. they are on vacation, having fun, loud, boisterous

the way people are at hotels, resorts on holiday.

My HOA community has a one or two units being used as STR... they cracked down it because they occupants would be outside getting loud.

[Coventina]

12. That's why HOTELS are not zoned in the middle of a residential street.

[Demovictory9]

29. yep.

[chowder66]

13. Have a hose handy next time. : )

[Coventina]

14. Ha! That I WILL do!!!! Thanks!!!!

[chowder66]

17. Hopefully it's powerful enough!!

[Coventina]

19. Oh, this thing was well within hose range!!!

[chowder66]

21. Awesome. I hope you have a chance to test it out. If you do let us know how it goes!!

[Ohio Joe]

32. So... If it's within hose range, maybe...

https://taser.com/products/bolt2

Yeah... It's $450 but I bet it brings down a drone permanently

[MineralMan]

16. 12 GA. Shotgun with #4 shot.

You own the airspace over your property. Shoot the damned drone down. Simple.

[Coventina]

18. I don't own any firearms, but I WILL use the hose idea!!!!

[sheshe2]

23. You are advocating gun violence at a time when it is out of control.

Violence begets violence.

Many people find drones to be a nuisance. There are close to 1.3 million registered drones in the US and over 116,000 registered drone operators. Shooting a drone out of the sky may be tempting but it is also illegal according to Federal and state laws. So, how can you legally take down a drone?

TLDR – Destroying, damaging, or interfering with a drone is a federal crime, as drones are classified as aircraft and bound to the same laws. However, there are legal ways to stop drones from flying over private property, including filing a legal complaint against the operator.

https://aerocorner.com/blog/legally-take-down-drone/

[dumbcat]

25. Does the same go for trespassers?

No, it doesn't. Nor does it go for your "airspace".

Discharging a firearm within city limits will almost always get you in trouble, regardless of airspace violations.

Bad advice.

[Quakerfriend]

20. We have the drone problem too!

We don’t know who owns the drone but, it sure is annoying.

They have hovered over me in my bathrobe at 5:30 am when I let the dog out & over my husband as he was doing a project on our front patio.

I’m waiting for the day it appears hovering above the skylight over our bathtub when I’m taking a bath!

Our house is completely secluded & now we feel we have no privacy! There are no laws that protect against drones
& you are not permitted to shoot them down- not that I have a gun..

There is hope however…. A DEDRONER is being developed that will scramble their signal and bring it down.
However, I think the company plans to sell this for use by the military.

[IcyPeas]

22. Article: Will a Laser Pointer Bring Down a Drone? (Answered)

NOTE: it may be illegal to do this.

https://www.droneblog.com/laser-pointer/

[Hekate]

24. A pointer sounds like a good item to have around in case of intrusive neighbors

That and the garden hose idea.

[Hekate]

26. There are already restrictions on drone use, & should be more. They are a hazard around airports...

They are deadly in wildfire situations. They interfere with professionals trying to preserve lives.

From the get-go I have thought they needed to be registered and licensed. If you’re not a thief casing the neighborhood and if you’re not a Peeping Tom, it shouldn’t bother you to demonstrate you know a few safety rules.

[cally]

27. It appears to be illegal to fly drones out

Of eyesight and over people. I did a quick search and rules are not absolutely clear but that is my initial read. Looks like operator has to pass a test and register drone. Maybe drone operator is breaking rules.

Definitely can’t fly near airplanes

[sheshe2]

30. See post 23.

It is illegal to shoot them down as well cally.

[Meowmee]

31. Creepy

We have a few houses which have been sold and turned into rentals for multiples of students. I am not sure how this was approved because it’s not zoned for that here. Fortunately we do not have any drones or anything like that but there have been some very loud, drunken parties at one house a few years back and garbage all over however that stopped and I think that house is now being rented or was purchased by a family. Someone was sending flyers around to to protest against the rentals but I don’t know if anything ever came of that.

I would definitely make a complaint to whoever you can about the drone that can possibly be legal to be spied on in your own garden buy a drone etc.

[XanaDUer2]

33. I hope they don't hurt the cats

They sound like scum

[wackadoo wabbit]

35. If this ever happens again, call the police

Some towns are less STR-friendly than others. For example, my town would outright ban them if they could, but the state government doesn't permit that. So the city encourages residents to call if anything — especially something like this! — happens that impinges on the enjoyment of their property.

As others have said, also report these guests to whichever STR company (probably Airbnb) they've booked through.