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Video: Tesla Factory by Drone in 4K (Fremont, CA)

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Nice except you can't fly over people and property like that. What happens when your drone loses a motor, falls from 500' and crashes onto someone's head. Also you put yourself at a big risk liability-wise.
 
Stephen, I am not an attorney, but it is possible that what you did is not legal. Here are some references:
How to know where not to fly your drone - CNET
"The FAA claims responsibility for the safety of US airspace from the ground up. For RC hobbyists (read: noncommercial pilots), the FAA safety guidelines limit recreational use of model aircraft to below 400 feet, within sight of the operator and more than 5 miles away from airports and air traffic without prior FAA notification. These guidelines fall in line with the National Model Aircraft Safety Code of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA)."
The FAA apparently has not yet issued specific rules covering drones.

There is a proposed California law covering drones that has come out of committee and may be voted on by the legislature this year. See Jackson Bill to Prohibit Drones from Invading Our Privacy and Private Property Advances | Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson and also see California Law | Hanson Bridgett Drone Law
he just did.... planes do it all day long
This issue is definitely not that simple. Flying a drone over private property below 400 feet without permission could be construed as trespassing. Case law covering this issue is still evolving. Above 400 feet the drone could fall under FAA jurisdiction.
 
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Even if it were fully legal, that's not really important to me personally. Being an r/c enthusiast, as much as I'd like to take video or fly anywhere I want, I wouldn't even consider something like this. Also, before the advent of multirotors (i.e. only a few years ago) no r/c hobbyist of any intelligence would even dream of flying an r/c plane or helicopter over buildings and houses. Putting others and their property at risk of injury from my flying toys isn't responsible and is only going to cause more severe restrictions if more mishaps start occurring. In this case, for all we know there's fragile equipment on the factory roof and were something damaged it could interrupt factory production. Unlikely, but you never know! :wink:
 
Thanks for the video. I fly a drone now and then, and personally can't see the difference between a video like this and a news helicopter, or a telephoto shot from a nearby rooftop. At 300 - 400 feet, you can hardly hear it, so noise is not the problem. The concern over parts falling from the sky are pure FUD from people who are not interested enough to do any research. People worried about "privacy" are being silly: Nobody cares how big your pool is behind your house. Other than that, what in the world are you hiding that the police helicopters don't fly over every day? Or in my area, Tourist helicopters.

It's like the guy said the other day: The only problem with the new Ludicrous upgrade is the loud whine, and he didn't mean from the car. Some people just gotta worry.

My house and my solar panels. Gee, I hope nobody sees this!

Home Drone fx.jpg
 
he just did.... planes do it all day long....

Only if he had permission from Tesla.

In the absence of a local ordinance to the contrary, you don't need a landowner's permission to fly over their property at altitude. The law isn't actually terribly clear, but it is believed that from 100-400 feet you are OK.

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Thanks, good info, but it seems to be aimed at questions regarding unmanned craft flying for commercial purposes and does not address issues related to privately owned unmanned craft.


The FAA refers people to this website for a pretty good overview. These guys usually post the latest legal updates. There are a lot of grey areas, but not quite as many as people on this thread seem to believe.
 
Great video. No comment from me on legality.

Roblab: I am up for adoption if you need a son (OK, the adoption would also include a daughter in law and a grandchild) :wink: