I live at the top of a small hill and climb to 200' before any flight. The hill being only 100' high this results in most of my flying at 300' above ground level. For the first 1000 or so feet of travel I point my camera down and follow the road until I reach a woods where I go in whatever direction for the rest of the trip. I have lived in my house since 1973 and know most everyone around me.
While flying last evening a new neighbor I'd not met came by and said she'd appreciate it if I didn't fly over her house. I didn't recognize her and asked which house was hers. She pointed to a yellow gambrel down the street. I said that I didn't fly over her house and went down the middle of the street. She said I had hovered over her back yard last Saturday. She said her kids were in the pool and that she found it kind of creepy that I was photographing them. For a while I just looked at her not knowing what to say.
I then said that I had a record of every single flight I have taken. The record clearly shows the flight superimposed on a Google map with all telemetry, and includes the video from every flight. Would she like to see it? No she said, just don't fly over her house anymore (which I hadn't done anyway). She then walked back home.
Later I reviewed my three flights from Saturday. The record was clear: I had flown along the road in front of her house at an altitude of about 250'. I never stopped and was traveling at 12-15mph every time. No hovering.
The camera, as usual, was full down, and recording the road. As I passed by her house each time I could make out a corner of her swimming pool in the back yard. No kids in sight and even if they were at that altitude they would have been almost undetectable. At first I was kind of angry, the nerve of her to imply I was doing something "creepy". Then I thought I would insist she watch my 'proof' of non-creepiness. Finally I figured she's either hyper protective or completely paranoid and nothing I could do would relieve her suspicions.
I've always been a good neighbor. I plow the elderly folks' driveways for free, I don't mow before 10 a.m., I keep my property neat, I take in neighbors' mail whey they're away etc. etc. I'm not changing my flight plans to suit her. Let's see where this goes.
What are your thoughts?
While flying last evening a new neighbor I'd not met came by and said she'd appreciate it if I didn't fly over her house. I didn't recognize her and asked which house was hers. She pointed to a yellow gambrel down the street. I said that I didn't fly over her house and went down the middle of the street. She said I had hovered over her back yard last Saturday. She said her kids were in the pool and that she found it kind of creepy that I was photographing them. For a while I just looked at her not knowing what to say.
I then said that I had a record of every single flight I have taken. The record clearly shows the flight superimposed on a Google map with all telemetry, and includes the video from every flight. Would she like to see it? No she said, just don't fly over her house anymore (which I hadn't done anyway). She then walked back home.
Later I reviewed my three flights from Saturday. The record was clear: I had flown along the road in front of her house at an altitude of about 250'. I never stopped and was traveling at 12-15mph every time. No hovering.
The camera, as usual, was full down, and recording the road. As I passed by her house each time I could make out a corner of her swimming pool in the back yard. No kids in sight and even if they were at that altitude they would have been almost undetectable. At first I was kind of angry, the nerve of her to imply I was doing something "creepy". Then I thought I would insist she watch my 'proof' of non-creepiness. Finally I figured she's either hyper protective or completely paranoid and nothing I could do would relieve her suspicions.
I've always been a good neighbor. I plow the elderly folks' driveways for free, I don't mow before 10 a.m., I keep my property neat, I take in neighbors' mail whey they're away etc. etc. I'm not changing my flight plans to suit her. Let's see where this goes.
What are your thoughts?
