Sydney north shore drone complaints and fines on the rise

Complaints about drones are on the rise on Sydney’s north shore with councils, insurance companies, real estate agencies and even burglars reportedly putting eyes in the sky.

Drones hovering above homes on Sydney’s north shore have prompted fresh complaints from residents and concerns over noise, safety and potential breaches of their privacy.

St Ives, Cremorne, Pymble and Mosman are among suburbs where residents have taken complaints to councils and aviation authorities to report recurring instances of low-flying drones buzzing too close for comfort.

A Cremorne resident took her concerns to police and a North Sydney Council community precinct committee meeting after spotting a drone above her MacPherson St home last month.

A resident spotted this drone which landed in Mosman last month. Photo: Facebook.

“I was gardening and heard this very loud noise – it was like a huge bunch of bees, that’s the only way I can describe it,” the resident Marie, who asked for her name to be withheld, said.

“It was one metre from my fence and then it flew above my property – I don’t know if it could see me or was taking pictures or what it was doing.”

Elsewhere on the north shore, a Pymble resident has shared a similar story on social media about a drone flying “within broom whacking” distance from her home.

Other homeowners have said the proliferation in drones was down to real estate agents profiling properties, homeowners using drones to check roof maintenance, councils using them for pool compliance and even burglars using the devices as a means to check if a home is vacant.

Pymble resident Boru Tumulty said not all drones are flown for nefarious reasons and there were often simple explanations behind the sightings.

“We had a tree fall on our roof last year and the NRMA came and sent a drone to find the crack tiles – they’re used for a whole heap of commercial purposes,” he said.

“People get very spooked about drones, they always think it’s the worst case scenario of robbers scoping out a place. There’s been a lot of recent break-ins in the area and that could fuel the perception that drones are all used by criminals.”

A NSW Police spokeswoman said neither the Ku-ring-gai or North Shore Police Area Commands had received recent reports of suspicious drone activity but encouraged residents to report such activity to their local police station.

Drones, also known as ‘remotely piloted aircraft’, are covered by Civil Aviation Safety Authority legislation and anyone using a device for commercial purposes must have prior approval.

The North Sydney CBD is a ‘no fly zone’ unless operators seek prior approval.

Only certain operators are permitted to go within the standard 30m limit of property and some local government areas including the North Sydney LGA are also classified “no fly zones” meaning drone-pilots must seek CASA approval and licensing before flying.

“If a drone is going to be flown over council land, the operator must let us know,” a North Sydney Council spokeswoman added.

Figures obtained by the North Shore Times show the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) issued 26 fines for breaches of drone safety regulations in Australia last year along with 38 counselling notices.

The infringements included a $1100 fine issued to the operator of a drone that was flown on Cremorne Rd in Cremorne Point which was spotted outside an apartment before crashing into trees.

A CASA spokesman said the most common unlawful activities relating to drones were instances of the aircraft flying near airports or over emergency operations, creating a hazard to others and operating within the 30 metre limit from a home / person.

Other sites designated as ‘no fly zones’ include iconic buildings and structures such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge and some national parks due to potential impacts on native wildlife.

Interactive apps where drones can be flown are available on the CASA website.