Can I stop drone delivery companies flying over my property?

Airspace, Property Rights, and Jurisdiction

• Strong disagreement over whether homeowners “own” the air above their land.
• In the US, several comments say the FAA controls all airspace and drones >250g must be registered regardless of altitude.
• Others cite case law (e.g., Causby) and “navigable airspace” concepts, arguing there’s a gray zone close to the ground where property rights likely apply, but courts haven’t clearly defined a boundary, especially for drones.
• Reminder that the linked article is about Ireland/EU rules; EU currently limits one drone per operator, complicating scale.

Shooting Down or Capturing Drones

• Many commenters say shooting at drones is legally treated like shooting at aircraft: a serious federal offense in the US, regardless of weapon (gun, net, jamming, EMP).
• Some advocate nets, kites, or “piñata radius” (bat range) as potential self-defense if drones fly very low and dangerously, but legality is repeatedly described as unclear or risky.
• Debate over whether juries would actually convict someone who destroys a low-flying nuisance drone; no consensus.

Safety, Liability, and Insurance

• Questions about who pays when drones fall and injure people: operator, insurer, or state.
• Comparisons to cars: we don’t outlaw roads because cars can jump curbs; instead we use insurance and tort law.
• Some expect insurers, not individual homeowners, to drive behavior via claims and subrogation against drone operators.

Privacy and Surveillance

• Concern that delivery drones will double as pervasive sensors (video, lidar) used for mapping, advertising, insurance, or law enforcement.
• Some note existing privacy laws (e.g., bans on drone imagery of private property in parts of the US), but others doubt enforcement or corporate honesty.

Noise, Nuisance, and Quality of Life

• Multiple firsthand reports of drones flying over neighborhoods every few minutes at low altitude, described as loud, intrusive, and more annoying than occasional helicopters or vans.
• Others argue larger, higher-flying delivery drones can be quieter, but even supporters acknowledge current implementations are “pretty obnoxious.”
• Some propose corridors, minimum heights, and noise standards; others see this as an opportunity to “learn to let it go” versus escalating with guns.

Wildlife and Environmental Concerns

• Worry that drones will disturb birds and other animals; examples of eagles attacking survey drones and birds already damaging UAVs.
• Speculation that clever animals (crows, raccoons, bears) will learn to raid delivery drones for food, forcing costly countermeasures.

Economics and Regulation of Drone Delivery

• Skepticism about economic viability given limited payloads, range, and current one-drone-per-operator rules in the EU.
• Proponents say high autonomy and one operator supervising many drones could eventually outcompete vans, especially in hard-to-reach or high-value medical niches.

Politics, Policing, and Trust

• Some suggest political pressure (especially when drones bother politicians) will eventually clarify the law; others predict special protections only for officials.
• A long subthread reflects deep mistrust of government agencies and law enforcement, referencing armed standoffs and CPS disputes, used to justify skepticism of “just call the cops” solutions.