Guns & Outdoors Forum

I bought a drone, a pretty nice one with a camera gimbal, gps and all of the bells and whistles. It records in 4k and you can fly it from the screen alone and will operate up to 6km from the transmitter.

I thought it would be cool to get an aerial view over my shop so I brought it in today and my buddy showed up so I figured it was a good time to take it up. BTW, I have my license and all of that govt BS, checked for flight restrictions, etc...

I take it up to over 100' and fly the surrounding area and get some good views while not really focusing on anything but my shop itself but I hover around a bit and decide to bring it back down in my lot, where I took off from.

I'm talking with my buddy outside while holding my drone when a white car pulls up with a guy (probably in his 30's, rough looking) and he asks me, "You the one flying the drone?" He was defensive.
I said "yeah."
Him, "Why were you flying over my house?"
Me rolling my eyes, "I was just looking at the whole area, Bud."
Him, "Its got a camera though."
Me, "Yeah and I was over 100 feet in the air not even looking at anything specific, just trying to get a birds eye view of the area."

He drives off all irritated. I'll never understand the paranoia with cameras, especially when we are constantly recorded everytime we leave the house by doorbell cams, security, home, business, govt, etc... I dont see anyone confronting the Google Earth vans that drive around. I wish I could have gotten the interaction on video itself

I was playing with my drone a few weeks back doing the same. My neighbor came out and says, “New toy?” With a big smile on his face. I guess HE doesn’t have crap to hide…

There are idiots everywhere, just ignore the attitude. If I’d had your experience I don’t think I would have even bothered to answer his questions. I would have started the conversation with, “And YOU are???? I don’t respond well to strangers questioning what I’m doing.

Wambli Ska wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2026 7:49 pm I was playing with my drone a few weeks back doing the same. My neighbor came out and says, “New toy?” With a big smile on his face. I guess HE doesn’t have crap to hide…

There are idiots everywhere, just ignore the attitude. If I’d had your experience I don’t think I would have even bothered to answer his questions. I would have started the conversation with, “And YOU are???? I don’t respond well to strangers questioning what I’m doing.

I would have responded differently had I not been at my business. I have a reputation to uphold and I already struggle doing that with all of the stupid in this world lol. The guy was obviously worried or paranoid.

Justsomedude wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2026 8:00 pm

Wambli Ska wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2026 7:49 pm I was playing with my drone a few weeks back doing the same. My neighbor came out and says, “New toy?” With a big smile on his face. I guess HE doesn’t have crap to hide…

There are idiots everywhere, just ignore the attitude. If I’d had your experience I don’t think I would have even bothered to answer his questions. I would have started the conversation with, “And YOU are???? I don’t respond well to strangers questioning what I’m doing.

I would have responded differently had I not been at my business. I have a reputation to uphold and I already struggle doing that with all of the stupid in this world lol. The guy was obviously worried or paranoid.

Makes sense. I guess having nothing to hide makes me not really understand “paranoid” in others

Several years ago I was out doing some yard work and drinking a beer at my place when a drone started flying and hovering directly above me. I flipped it the bird, it left. A bit later it showed up again. I flipped it the bird again and gave it a “cheers” with my beer. It left again. A little later I saw my neighbors son and his son over by her place. I went to high school with him. I texted and asked if it was him flying the drone. He said it was and he was laughing his butt off. I told him to tie a basket to the bottom of it, fly it back over and I’d send him a beer..

Turns out, he was checking out the place right behind mine. We knew there was a guy fresh out of prison living in an abandoned RV there. He had lit the old house on fire, claiming he was being allowed to live there if he cleaned the place up. So he just lit it on fire. In doing so, a lot of trash that didn’t burn was getting picked up by the wind and spread all over our fields. The neighbor was using his drone to get an idea of how what all was over there. He saw me outside and decided to mess with me.. Told him he was lucky I didn’t shoot it down…

Jay wrote: ↑Sat Apr 11, 2026 1:49 pm Several years ago I was out doing some yard work and drinking a beer at my place when a drone started flying and hovering directly above me. I flipped it the bird, it left. A bit later it showed up again. I flipped it the bird again and gave it a “cheers” with my beer. It left again. A little later I saw my neighbors son and his son over by her place. I went to high school with him. I texted and asked if it was him flying the drone. He said it was and he was laughing his butt off. I told him to tie a basket to the bottom of it, fly it back over and I’d send him a beer..

Turns out, he was checking out the place right behind mine. We knew there was a guy fresh out of prison living in an abandoned RV there. He had lit the old house on fire, claiming he was being allowed to live there if he cleaned the place up. So he just lit it on fire. In doing so, a lot of trash that didn’t burn was getting picked up by the wind and spread all over our fields. The neighbor was using his drone to get an idea of how what all was over there. He saw me outside and decided to mess with me.. Told him he was lucky I didn’t shoot it down…

You mean that you didnt automatically assume it was the US Marshall's using a drone to surveil you .

Seriously though this kid looked like he was terrified and angry that I just flew over his grow operation.

Justsomedude wrote: ↑Sat Apr 11, 2026 4:12 pm
You mean that you didnt automatically assume it was the US Marshall's using a drone to surveil you .

Even if it was, my gestures towards it were pretty universal.