Drones: a View in the Context of Land Legislation

In the coming decade, the rapid development of the drone technology is to be expected. At the same time, airspace will increasingly become a conflict zone between drone operators and land users.

Unlike manned aircraft, drones are often used in low-altitude airspace, which is directly related to determining the “upper” boundary of the land plot as the object of use.

The author believes that the minimum altitude of the drone in airspace should ensure normal use of the land plot as intended. And the closer to the surface of the earth drones will fly, the more urgent there will be a need for a meaningful definition of such concepts as “the use of the land plot”, "impossibility of using the land plot”, “significant difficulties in using the land plot”, as well as criteria for “normal” use of the land plot as intended. According to the author, in some cases the specificity of activity on the surface of the earth necessitates the establishment of prohibitions (restrictions) on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in air space above them, as well as special rules on the use of low altitude airspace to meet “their own needs” by persons using the relevant land plots.

Particular attention is paid to the issue of protection of the rights to privacy of persons using land plots. The author summarizes that the use of drones in combination with video technologies will make adjustments to the existing 2D view of the boundaries of the land plot as an object of use and will entail problems in the protection of the right mentioned above.

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