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Update June 27, 2014- The NYPD is deferring to their central office on the legality of drones in Manhattan. However, they sent a link to FAA regulations. Drones fall under recreational remote control airplane rules. They cannot be used for commercial purposes (i.e. real estate companies), and cannot be flown within 5-miles of an airport. Therefore, drones in BPC seem to be illegal.
Also, rules on the book, and the US Constitution, make it clearly an illegal invasion of privacy for a drone to peep into a BPC apartment window that faces the Hudson river and no other building.
June 26, 2014- By Steven E. Greer
BatteryPark.TV attended the monthly Community Affairs meeting of the First precinct. It was very uneventful and lightly attended. However, one report caught our attention.
Eerily similar to the incident that made national news yesterday, where a Seattle woman snapped a photo of a drone peeping into her high-rise apartment, people in Battery Park City are seeing the same thing. At 2 River Terrace, a drone has been spotted aiming its camera into windows.
The police will confer with their legal team and give us an official comment on the legality of drones in the city. Stay tuned.
Please post comments. This is an important subject for which you to weigh in.
Wow! Do follow up. Amazing photo you found.
Time to head for the hills when phones emit fragrances and flying eyeballs invade the sanctity of your home.
Might as well live in the park…in Montana.
Rather than the peeping, I’m more concerned that an aircraft of any sort is hovering over a densely populated area that includes children’s playgrounds. Helicopters aren’t allowed over Manhattan without special permit for more reasons than noise.
The danger of an equipment failure — and subsequent injury — is quite serious.
Sounds close to peeping Tom. It’s an invasion of privacy.