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Drones or quadcopters are fun gadgets but they also pose a serious privacy risk. It is easy for anyone with a drone to snoop in on someone’s backyard, peek through a window, or just capture video from above without the folks down below finding out. An aviation enthusiast in California has launched a new database today which will allow people to set up a no-fly zone around their properties.

Its a good way to let people safeguard their homes against drones in the sky but the fact remains that this database isn’t legally binding.

Drone makers are not obligated to program their drones to adhere to these restrictions and so far only three drone makers have said that they will honor requests made through the database.

The database, Noflyzone.org, is run by Ben Marcus who is a private pilot and a drone operator from Santa Monica. He calls it a “fundamental piece of architecture” which goes a long way to preserve and protect individual privacy.

Anyone can enter an address in the database to create a no-fly zone. There are no checks for the first request though a subsequent request from the same email address will require proof of residence.

Given the fact that the first request is open, the potential for abuse of this database exists.

All addresses in the database will then be converted to a single latitude and longitude point coupled with multiple series of points which better mark the edges of a property.

These are then given to drone makers who can add them to the no-fly database which is always checked before a drone takes off.

Ehang, Hexo+, and Yuneec are the three companies that have agreed to honor requests at launch. Since major manufacturers like DJI are missing, and the fact that drone makers are not legally obligated to do this, it will be a long time before people can finally rest assured that no drone will ever hover over their property.

Filed in Gadgets. Read more about . Source: computerworld

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