Privacy Protecting Drone Regulation in Yolo County California

Recreational and commercial drones can be a fun hobby and provide new or more efficient services.  But they are also begining to be used by criminals to trespass and violate privacy rights.  A perfect example is the recent farm equipment theft in Solano County where a drone was used to find valuable equipment (over $100,000 worth) and pinpoint its location for the theives to pickup. Under current law, theives flying drones over your property is perfectly legal as long as they maintain a line of sight. 

Because drones are classified as aircraft it is against federal law to interfere with them in any way.  You are defenseless against a person peering into your yard, home, business or ranch using a drone.

Laws can be passed at the county and city level restricting drone flight to protect private property owners and still allow drone operators to enjoy their hobby.  The proposed regulation to be presented to the Yolo County Board of Supervisors is as follows:

• Drones should not be flown on the grounds of or less than 200 feet above ground level within the airspace overlaying private property without the express written consent of the property owner.
• No person shall operate a drone to record or transmit visual image or audio recordings of any person or private property located in Yolo County under circumstances in which the subject person or owner of the subject real property has a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Signing this petition will demonstrate to the Yolo County Board of Supervisors that the people of Yolo County support this simple regulation.

Lisa Leonard    Contact the author of the petition