It becomes illegal when there are too many people there, or there is violence, underage drinking, drug usage, and if it's too loud, the attendees are parking in the street blocking traffic, fire risks all sorts of shit

So I've installed and operated PTZ cameras for multiple television shows and events, sometimes with junior operators - or just production assistants or other crew. These are in places where people know cameras are present. I can guarantee it doesn't take long for people at the camera control unit to learn they can zoom in on people's phones on set or follow girls around - and these are all professional people.

Cops with a drone that can zoom in on people unwittingly, in their back yards?! Oh, they are certainly going to do shit like this, or worse - they'll likely record for themselves.

Any excuse to use surveillance cameras to spy on people will be used. It's not forbidden to have a party, but the shithead cops want to spy on people anyway just in case they might catch them breaking some laws.

There is also a nationwide program being implemented to feed the video from private security cameras into police surveillance systems. It's called FUSUS and they use equipment installed in private networks to upload the private security cameras' video to the police surveillance systems. Lots of people are signing on to this horrific program - businesses, schools, churches, community centers, etc. The police can use it to track people with video surveillance without a warrant. Security cameras anywhere you go could be potentially tapped into by government authorities to monitor you. It's already all over the USA and being rolled out in the UK now too.

Just as it is in the UK with their surveillance cameras everywhere, this is the future that George Orwell tried to warn us about.

It's not forbidden. This is a huge overstep by the police but typical of American police, who are allowed to violate our civil rights with impunity.

Don't forget scale. Significantly more practical to have a couple dozen drones than helicopters

Drones can get closer without detection. Also there's a limit to helicopter use since they cause noise pollution.

I wouldn't risk life in prison to find out, they might just call the drone a helicopter to arrest you

Edit: To be clear, fuck the police and their spy toys. I just don't wanna get caught doing something that will ruin my life, and I hope it doesn't happen to anyone else.

Yes, the FAA treats it as a serious violation.

They'll try destruction of property charges

I think the probability of the cops catching you using a net launcher is too high.

I think a diy directional emp would be a better choice. https://techlinkcenter.org/news/heres-the-armys-now-patented-emp-rifle-attachment-for-taking-out-small-drones#!

For the more technically inclined, I would imagine something like a software defined radio with a powerful transmitter could take control of the drone and go park it in the Hudson.

I'm pretty sure all of these options are highly illegal. So this is just for informational purposes only. :)

Or slingshot it, then claim you thought it was a perv and not a cop drone because they have no discernable markings from so far up.