Can you fly a drone over someone’s house in Ohio? Here’s what the law says
Drones are used for just about anything, from emergency management to agriculture assistance, search and rescue, or even crop mapping.
Of course, some drones are flown for leisure activities such as videography, photography or hunting.
Whatever the case, drone flying does require users to abide by certain laws under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). So before you go flying all over town, be sure to brush up on all things drone.
One of the laws regarding drones covers flying over private property. Here’s what to know about it in Ohio.
Is it legal to fly a drone over someone’s house or private property in Ohio?
According to Usman Khan, a commercial drone pilot, it is legal to fly over a person’s private property, as long as you don’t violate someone’s privacy.
But the FAA has other regulations to know about:
“Drone pilots should avoid flying over private property without the owner’s permission,” said Khan. “It is also important to avoid flying too low over private property, as this may lead to issues of trespass or nuisance.”
If you don’t get consent beforehand or fly a drone in a way that disregards the property owner’s privacy or in a harassing manner, the property owner can take legal action.
“In some cases, the property owner may be able to file a civil lawsuit against the drone operator for invasion of privacy or trespassing,” said Khan.
Drone pilots also cannot take photos or videos of any property without permission.
There are many more drone laws to know about. Here are a few:
Other Ohio drone laws
Here are some other things to know about before flying your drone:
Maintain visual line of sight with your drone at all times.
Do not fly more than 400 feet above the ground.
Do not fly within 5 kilometers of an airport.
Keep at least 50 meters distance from people or buildings (except during takeoff/landing).
In Cleveland, Ohio, there’s a city ordinance that allows city police to enforce FAA laws with regards to drones.
In Celina, Ohio, there’s a city ordinance that bans drones in airspace over city-owned property, including parks.
Drones are banned in Cincinnati parks and any Cleveland Metro Park.
Have any questions? Let me know in the comments or email me at cmadden@mcclatchy.com.
