Drones being used to track Houston's stray dogs

[gword256]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...g-used-to-track-houstons-stray-dogs/70360624/

Commercial use?

 

[sergekouper]

Wah! Now this is a story... Some channels are really good at producing sheet TV!
And in tomorrow's edition...: "Drones being used to search lost 5 $ bills" !
And the day after : Drones being used to count red cars in the neighbourhood... :roll:

 

[Meta4]

No kittens being rescued from a tree to report on today?
A drone is obviously so useful finding homeless dogs -

it allows you to literally draw a big circle in the air as we're filming in 4K .. beautiful footage

 

[In Utopia]

Might get a bit touchy since it's against the law to fly over private property without owners permission in Texas.

 

[gword256]

Might get a bit touchy since it's against the law to fly over private property without owners permission in Texas.

I believe the more accurate abridged version of the law you refer to would it that it is illegal to perform surveillance over other peoples property with a drone. Although I am waiting to see some actual enforcement on that one.

But I forgot about that until you mentioned it. So we can alert the FAA and Texas State Police.

 

[Meta4]

Might get a bit touchy since it's against the law to fly over private property without owners permission in Texas.

There is nothing in the Texas Privacy Act 2013 that says anything about where you can or cannot fly in Texas.
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/83R/billtext/html/HB00912F.htm

 

[LuvMyTJ]

I believe people are referring to this...

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Texas-Law-Gets-Tough-on-Public-Private-Drone-Use-223820691.html

and

http://www.salon.com/2013/05/29/texas_bill_drones_for_no_one_except_the_police/

 

[Meta4]

I believe people are referring to this...

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Texas-Law-Gets-Tough-on-Public-Private-Drone-Use-223820691.html

and

http://www.salon.com/2013/05/29/texas_bill_drones_for_no_one_except_the_police/

Yes .. and the bill they are referring to is the Texas Privacy Act 2013 which was widely reported to be banning drones in Texas ... by people that never read it.
The relevant section reads ...
Sec.423.003.OFFENSE: ILLEGAL USE OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT TO CAPTURE IMAGE. (a) A person commits an offense if the person uses an unmanned aircraft to capture an image of an individual or privately owned real property in this state with the intent to conduct surveillance on the individual or property captured in the image.

It never said you can't fly or photograph. It never said anything about where you could or couldn't fly.
It said it's an offence to use a drone with the intent to conduct surveillance - and that's got nothing to do with regular recreatonal flying or photography.

 

[In Utopia]

If you're looking at a monitor or use and look at footage from a camera, that's surveillance.
The use of a drone by Texas Equisearch ( a group of widely known volunteers who look for missing persons or bodies) came under scrutiny a while back.
Lots of mis information and interpretation from everyone on the subject.

 

[Meta4]

If you're looking at a monitor or use and look at footage from a camera, that's surveillance.

Not at all.
Surveillance involves continuous observation of a particular place, person, group, or ongoing activity.
The wording in the Texas Privacy Act specifically mentions having the intent to conduct surveillance of a place or person.
Normal flying or casual photography is not surveillance.

 

[gword256]

Not at all.
Surveillance involves continuous observation of a particular place, person, group, or ongoing activity.
The wording in the Texas Privacy Act specifically mentions having the intent to conduct surveillance of a place or person.
Normal flying or casual photography is not surveillance.

I'd like to see a court ruling on this. I just don't want to be the guinea pig.