Do commercial drone operators need permits to operate in town?

[Spidey]

Last weekend, this truck pulls into our cul-de-sac. Has a company name on it - guys gets out with a high vis vest and sets up a tripod with screen. Then pulls out a large drone and proceeds to buzz around our houses.

Ironically, my wife is on our deck in a bikini after getting out of the hot tub, so I suggest she come in unless she wants to be accidentally captured on video. I was going to go and talk to the guy, but my wife leaned over the deck and asks how long he plans to be in the neighborhood. By the time I get around to going outside, he had already packed up and left.

I have no issues with commercial drone operations but shouldn't someone be notified if their house is going to be potentially filmed? (the drone seemed to fly over all the houses in our cul-de-sac.) I plan to follow up with the Town but wanted to see if anyone knows what the rules are.

[Spidey]

So I followed up with the Town and was put in touch with bylaw. They said they would follow up with the company but there's really nothing they can do if the company is fully registered and submitted all the permissions to operate in an area. The bylaw officer said this has come up before and between them and the RCMP, and they've learned that the law hasn't caught up on this so there are a lot of "grey areas" and he told me that if you are outside at all, even on your property, there's not much you can do about potentially being filmed.

I was surprised that, as a commercial drone operator, you wouldn't at least need a permit from the town in order to conduct that type of business. I'm sure this outfit was above-board (at least it looked like it), but I think there's definitely a gap between this type of business and the law. If I need a permit to add an additional electrical socket in my house, you would think you'd need a permit to fly an aircraft with spinning propellers directly over my head...

[EZM]

I've seen drones fly over residential areas (like your cul-de-sac) here in Edmonton. I am pretty sure it was for a real estate listing in the area. It looked to me like they were filming the approach to the house, made a few circles, and filmed the view from the yard to the river valley and city skyline (this house backs onto the river here in Wolf Willow). Guy was out there for maybe 20 minutes.

Looked like a pretty cool business idea.

[Spidey]

Yep, bylaw followed up with the operator and it was for real estate. Two pieces of the operator's account to bylaw were incorrect. 1. He said he tried to go door to door to let people know what he would be doing - which he most certainly did not. I watched him pull up, quickly set up and start filming. and 2. He said he only flew over the house requested by the real estate company - which he most certainly did not - I watched the drone pass over 4 houses distinctly. I don't know how you could only fly over one house and get the footage you would need.

You could tell the guy wanted get in and get out quickly. His mannerisms were sheepish, but I'm sure he's probably been yelled at doing what he does. To me, this is an indication that there needs to be improvements in the delivery and communication of commercial drone operations flying over residential areas.

[hillbillyreefer]

More permits and rules will make you happy how?

[Spidey]

Originally Posted by hillbillyreefer

More permits and rules will make you happy how?

To ensure better communication / providing sufficient notice of why there's going to be a flying camera above my house

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Spidey

Yep, bylaw followed up with the operator and it was for real estate. Two pieces of the operator's account to bylaw were incorrect. 1. He said he tried to go door to door to let people know what he would be doing - which he most certainly did not. I watched him pull up, quickly set up and start filming. and 2. He said he only flew over the house requested by the real estate company - which he most certainly did not - I watched the drone pass over 4 houses distinctly. I don't know how you could only fly over one house and get the footage you would need.

You could tell the guy wanted get in and get out quickly. His mannerisms were sheepish, but I'm sure he's probably been yelled at doing what he does. To me, this is an indication that there needs to be improvements in the delivery and communication of commercial drone operations flying over residential areas.

If he is providing false information to bylaw which in some cases are peace officers, then he should be held accountable.

[HalfBreed]

Before we ban UFAV camera work, should we not 'focus'(see what I did there?) on vehicle cameras, bank machine cameras, cameras all over the place?

I mean seriously, how much camera activity is necessary?

Ban phone cameras and anything that can image effectively unless the operator is licensed.

Get in line for soup.

[Spidey]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

If he is providing false information to bylaw which in some cases are peace officers, then he should be held accountable.

Agreed. But it would be difficult to prove - his word against mine on the door knocking and whether he flew over one house or four without seeing all the raw footage. That said, I think I'll chat with some of the neighbors who were also home that day. There's also a new real estate sign up at the end of our cul-de-sac as of today, so will wait to see what kind of pics/footage hit the realty website.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Spidey

So I followed up with the Town and was put in touch with bylaw. They said they would follow up with the company but there's really nothing they can do if the company is fully registered and submitted all the permissions to operate in an area. The bylaw officer said this has come up before and between them and the RCMP, and they've learned that the law hasn't caught up on this so there are a lot of "grey areas" and he told me that if you are outside at all, even on your property, there's not much you can do about potentially being filmed.

I was surprised that, as a commercial drone operator, you wouldn't at least need a permit from the town in order to conduct that type of business. I'm sure this outfit was above-board (at least it looked like it), but I think there's definitely a gap between this type of business and the law. If I need a permit to add an additional electrical socket in my house, you would think you'd need a permit to fly an aircraft with spinning propellers directly over my head...

You got your answers from the Leo's more to follow...next time go directly to the fella and engage in a civil conversation maybe more answers will come forth.

[Spidey]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

You got your answers from the Leo's more to follow...next time go directly to the fella and engage in a civil conversation maybe more answers will come forth.

Yep, that was my original intent as written in my first post.

[Suzukisam]

Don't worry those things have wide angle cameras they would not be able to recognize your wife even if she stood beside the guy yet alone her bra size