The Do’s and Don’ts of Drone Trespass

The increasing frequency of reports of drones loitering over livestock facilities has producers understandably concerned. Drones are used by criminals to scout rural property for equipment theft and by animal liberation activists to gather video for marketing. The FAA Safety Team, FAAST, provides outreach on drone safety and regulations and has these recommendations:

• Immediately request a response from local law enforcement explaining you are concerned about the safety of your employees and livestock.
• Capture cell phone video of the drone, particularly if it is hovering over employees, vehicles or livestock, flying into roofed buildings or otherwise interfering with farm operations or endangering people or livestock.
•  Capture cell phone video of the drone operator, their vehicle and license plates, particularly if they are on private land or are operating the drone without line-of-sight to the drone.
• DO NOT threaten or accost the drone operator.
•  DO NOT attempt to shoot down the drone

WHEN officers respond: Request that responding officers interview the drone operator and determine if they are in compliance with the following requirements:

• The operator is certified as either a recreational or commercial drone pilot by the FAA.
• The drone is registered with the FFA and its registration number is visible on the airframe.
• The drone is broadcasting a remote ID code, readable by the DroneTag or similar app which are available for Android or Apple phones and can be downloaded for free by farmers and Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs).
• The drone is operated within the line-of-sight of the pilot and not into roofed buildings.
• The drone is not operating in a drone no-fly zone, such as airports and prisons, which can be located using FAA’s B4UFLY app.

Failure to comply with federal drone laws can result in steep fines and loss of the required pilot license. Unfortunately, farmers do not own the 400 feet of air space above their property, but more reported drone sightings will prompt a more swift and aggressive response from law enforcement and the FAA. Producers can also submit a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) with their local Law Enforcement Intelligence “Fusion Center.”

This flyer contains more information. There will be further updates on drones from CDQAP and our law enforcement partners.