No Warrant; No Drone Footage in Court

[R.Perry]

This brings up a question. I live in a remote area where we have many pot farms and meth labs scattered out through the mountains. Now some of the pot farms are legal here in California, but many are not. If I'm flying and notice one of these operations and photograph it. Is that an invasion of privacy? Obviously these sites are not visible from a roadway, I can post some examples if wanted.

 

[MapMaker53]

I'm sure it isn't illegal to photograph them from the air. Private citizens are neither required (nor able) to obtain search warrants. Were you to hand the photos over to local authorities, it would be their responsibility to obtain a search warrant and follow up with an investigation if they desired to do so. You would simply be providing them a tip.

 

[R.Perry]

I'm sure it isn't illegal to photograph them from the air. Private citizens are neither required (nor able) to obtain search warrants. Were you to hand the photos over to local authorities, it would be their responsibility to obtain a search warrant and follow up with an investigation if they desired to do so. You would simply be providing them a tip.

My wife chimed in on this one. When the forth amendment was drafted they had no way of knowing the future technologies we have today. The argument could be made that a persons back yard is open space and not protected by the forth amendment, were the house definitely is. What seems interesting is how the law is interpreted and applied, and how the forth amendment is violated by may police departments. Such as searching a persons car without reasonable cause.
How is it that airports can do strip searches without reasonable cause?

 

[adm_geomatics]

Here is another rendition by drone attorney, Jonathan Rupprecht.

Michael Jones vs NCBEE