They claim that they use photos from satellites and fixed-wing aircraft, but refuse to show the photos to both the owner and the news outlet. I can almost 100% guarantee the company is lying about how they obtained the photos and won’t show them because it would prove they did use a drone. Admitting to using a drone would open up a can of legal issues for them that they want to avoid.
I doubt they’re flying drones or taking any pictures themselves. They are purchasing imaging from companies that do this like what the ESA offers through Skysat. My county was doing the same thing for planning department enforcement and got a lot of flak for it.
I think it is way more likely they just bought imagery from existing sources. There are tons of high res imagery out there that you can purchase. Price is usually determined by how old it is. This seems way more likely than an insurance company hiring a drone operator and going door to door. Secondly, companies never share the details of things like this. Wherever the source, they are unlikely to share it. Companies don’t give details because they don’t want to fight you. They just want to cancel your account and move on.
That isn’t to say this is right.
Do we want insurance companies peering into our backyards from imagery? I don’t. Regardless of if it’s a drone or not.
It’s more likely it was purchased/licensed imagery. I just think it’s weird and unfair that they won’t share the images that they used against the client. It’s similar to red light tickets. If people get one, they expect photo proof to come with it.
What legal issues would they be opening themselves up to? All airspace in the US is regulated by the FAA. As long as they weren’t in restricted airspace, following all the regulations, and the operator had the proper part 107 license there is nothing illegal about using a drone in this manner. There have been various discussions over the years about “owning” airspace over ones property but nothing has even gone to court that I’m aware of. Not to mention the company could have well seen onto the persons property while being over public space (I.E. the road).
I’m not arguing if this was right or wrong, but I see nothing illegal here.
Complete speculation on my part, but privacy laws? My understanding is that in the US, broadly speaking, you have a right to privacy where it would be reasonably expected, which I’ve usually heard defined as places you can’t easily see from the sidewalk. If my understanding is true, then this would be an invasion of privacy just like some creep standing on a ladder peeping on people in their high fenced backyards, and there are generally laws against such behavior.
The article touches on that part actually right at the end:
As for legality of taking drone pictures over a house? California state law only forbids that if you’re specifically doing so as a sort of peeping tom.
Yeah, I think it’s a proximity thing. The risk of a drone crashing over a yard is part of that factor I think, which makes sense. Imagine a big drone crashing on some kid’s head 😬
They claim that they use photos from satellites and fixed-wing aircraft, but refuse to show the photos to both the owner and the news outlet. I can almost 100% guarantee the company is lying about how they obtained the photos and won’t show them because it would prove they did use a drone. Admitting to using a drone would open up a can of legal issues for them that they want to avoid.
I doubt they’re flying drones or taking any pictures themselves. They are purchasing imaging from companies that do this like what the ESA offers through Skysat. My county was doing the same thing for planning department enforcement and got a lot of flak for it.
I think it is way more likely they just bought imagery from existing sources. There are tons of high res imagery out there that you can purchase. Price is usually determined by how old it is. This seems way more likely than an insurance company hiring a drone operator and going door to door. Secondly, companies never share the details of things like this. Wherever the source, they are unlikely to share it. Companies don’t give details because they don’t want to fight you. They just want to cancel your account and move on.
That isn’t to say this is right.
Do we want insurance companies peering into our backyards from imagery? I don’t. Regardless of if it’s a drone or not.
It’s more likely it was purchased/licensed imagery. I just think it’s weird and unfair that they won’t share the images that they used against the client. It’s similar to red light tickets. If people get one, they expect photo proof to come with it.
What legal issues would they be opening themselves up to? All airspace in the US is regulated by the FAA. As long as they weren’t in restricted airspace, following all the regulations, and the operator had the proper part 107 license there is nothing illegal about using a drone in this manner. There have been various discussions over the years about “owning” airspace over ones property but nothing has even gone to court that I’m aware of. Not to mention the company could have well seen onto the persons property while being over public space (I.E. the road).
I’m not arguing if this was right or wrong, but I see nothing illegal here.
Complete speculation on my part, but privacy laws? My understanding is that in the US, broadly speaking, you have a right to privacy where it would be reasonably expected, which I’ve usually heard defined as places you can’t easily see from the sidewalk. If my understanding is true, then this would be an invasion of privacy just like some creep standing on a ladder peeping on people in their high fenced backyards, and there are generally laws against such behavior.
The article touches on that part actually right at the end:
Yeah, I think it’s a proximity thing. The risk of a drone crashing over a yard is part of that factor I think, which makes sense. Imagine a big drone crashing on some kid’s head 😬
Would’ve been nice if they explained it a bit more.
For example, California has some civil laws covering such things due to paparazzi using technology, but the key with those is the intent to capture people’s activities: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=1708.8.&lawCode=CIV