Daniel Saulmon, 42, decided it would be a hoot to fly his drone over the mundane gated, police-parking area of LAPD's Hollywood station. That has prompted the police to ask the city attorney's office to figure out if they're allowed to take legal action.

Police asked Saulmon to stop, which he did as his drone was losing power anyway. However, Saulmon doesn't believe that they have any legal right to claim that he could be cited for trespassing merely for flying a drone in the legal airspace above a restricted area.

Saulmon said in an interview: "They bring up the expectation of privacy, I'm not buying it. Suddenly they're talking about how I'm trespassing on a public sidewalk. They do not have an expectation of privacy … if you want privacy, build a roof."

The FAA is prohibited from making rules for what's considered a "model aircraft" so long as said device is being flown for "hobby or recreational use," is being flown safely, doesn't weigh more than 55 pounds, and doesn't interfere with conventional, manned aircraft.


Here is the debate: