PITTSBURGH — With thousands of licensed drone operators, it’s not uncommon to have a drone spotting. Experts shared with Channel 11 News how to spot a drone and what to do next.
Concerns began across the US because of mystery sightings that started November 18 near Morris County, New Jersey, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. This week a viewer sent our station a video of a drone flying near their Pittsburgh home.
The viewer was concerned and asked Channel 11 News what to do.
We worked to get answers.
First, we showed an expert the video to confirm if the object in the night sky was a drone.
“It’s not that high, it’s not flying that fast, it has FAA lights on it, there is almost a certainty that is a drone,” David King, the CEO of Steel City Drones confirmed it was a drone in the video.
From there, King reviewed the drone’s pattern and told us in his opinion the drone was operating within standards and didn’t appear to be hovering over the residency.
“The biggest thing is that drones are not meant to spy on people, or to hover at people’s windows or in their backyards,” King said.
King has been training drone operators for more than a decade and told us that while drone sightings can be unsettling they aren’t uncommon and often aren’t even suspicious.
King said drones are allowed to fly over residential homes if they aren’t capturing surveillance.
“The law states that even if a person owns the air space right directly above their house, they can’t stop a drone operator from flying above it,” King said.
Drone operators have very few restrictions according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Drones cannot fly:
- Above 400 feet
- Over moving vehicles
- Near airports
- During live events
“I wouldn’t even be able to turn the motors on if I am like a half a mile away from the airport because it’s locked out,” King said. King explained drones are programmed with certain safety mechanisms to prevent them from flying in restricted areas or above restricted heights.
According to the FBI in the past few weeks, they have received more than 5,000 reported drone sightings with about 100 leads, but are cautioning residents that with more than one million licensed drone operators there are no privacy laws that prevent them from flying.
Under no circumstance can someone shoot down a drone or try to remove one from the air themselves – that’s illegal.
King said, often when you see a drone in the sky that is not for recreation it is being used in an official capacity.
“Nationwide you have over 500 public safety agencies for clients, construction, utilities, engineering, surveys those are the big markets,” King explained.
Experts said if you have concerns or you see a drone, report it to the Federal Aviation Administration.
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