real-estate autonomous drones
Autonomous drone over private property
<p>Is it legal to operate a drone (quadcopter or other type) in autonomous mode over private property (either with owner's permission or over my own property)? By private property I mean private real estate like agricultural fields, woods/forests etc. An example usage case would be operating something like a cargo-drone for agricultural purposes.</p>

<p>I am interested in global legal situation, but EU, USA and China are my main areas of interest.</p>

<p>The contrary to autonomous mode would be manual mode where one usually has to maintain line-of-sight when operating a drone. I also guess there is a maximum height that "hobby" aviators are allowed to reach.</p>

<p>A side question - what is the current legal situation for operating a drone in the states listed above? I know about the "Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Registration" in the US only.</p>

<p>In the US, courts have generally held that your property rights do not extend into the sky without limit. In <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/328/256" rel="nofollow">UNITED STATES v. CAUSBY et ux</a>. The Supreme Court ruled that the skies above a certain altitude were a public highway. The federal government currently holds that navigable airspace starts at 500 feet from the ground, so above that altitude the FAA gets to regulate how you use them. That would include any limitations on the use of autonomous drones. The situation is in flux though, and the proliferation of small inexpensive drones is putting the issue before the courts again.</p>
