Drones In New Jersey, New York And China

Using Constitutional Property Rights Leads To Growth

On the United States East Coast, drones are flying around without restrictions or permission. The reports are sketchy, but dozens of drones appear to be coming off the ocean with no heat signature. The data collection seems jammed, and the legally required emitter to intercept their details is not in place. The drones have a 10-foot wing span and can evade the police drones. Residents say they are experiencing electromagnetic interference on the radio in cars near the drones.

The New York Stewart International Airport was forced to close its runways for about an hour Friday night. 'This has gone too far,' said the New York governor, calling for federal assistance after drones shut down the airport. Let’s hope legislators won't use this drone issue to pass laws that infringe on private property owners’ rights in an attempt to control this set of drones.

“Last night, beginning at around 9:45 pm, I personally witnessed what appeared to be dozens of large drones in the sky above my residence in Davidsonville, Maryland (25 miles from our nation’s capital). Like many who have observed these drones, I do not know if this increasing activity over our skies is a threat to public safety or national security. But the public is growing increasingly concerned and frustrated with the complete lack of transparency and the dismissive attitude of the federal government. We are being told that neither the White House, the military, the FBI, or Homeland Security have any idea what they are, where they came from, or who has launched or is controlling them–and that they pose no threat. That response is entirely unacceptable. The American people deserve answers and action now.” - Governor of Maryland

Some people are trying to shoot them down. The police and legal system have, in some cases, rounded on drone shooters to prosecute them for discharging firearms in previous drone shootings. These shooters do not want drones to be in their airspace without permission. The public who own the low-altitude airspace above their real estate are looking to control it, and there is an easier way than shooting drones down.

Demand To Control Private Airspace

Kentucky drone slayer William Meredith shot down a drone trespassing over his property in Hillview, Kentucky. You are not allowed to discharge a firearm into the sky. He was charged, but a judge dismissed the charges, affirming his right to act. Public opinion praised Merideth for standing up for his rights, but some did criticize him for “overreacting.” Interestingly, the people where the mystery drones are flying now are looking for authorities to act, never mind overreact!

To solve the problem of being unable to discharge a gun to shoot drones that are without permission in their airspace, residents in a town in California in 2022 took out their bows and arrows to immobilize them. Their opposition was driven by trespass and privacy concerns.

Residents in College Station, Texas, reported disturbances from Amazon's delivery drones. While drones offer undeniable logistical benefits, such as faster delivery times and reduced environmental impact compared to traditional vehicles, their noise and operation frequency can impact residents' quality of life, who need some incentive to want them in their skies.

In Clermont, Florida, in 2024, a Walmart delivery drone was shot down by Dennis Winn. The drone appeared to be surveilling him, and he fired a 9mm handgun, causing damage to the drone. Winn was charged with criminal mischief, firing at an aircraft, and endangering public safety. Winn’s reaction shows how strong individuals’ property rights are to them. They are the backbone of the whole US legal system. Drones are not mentioned in the Constitution, but people and private property are. Win has been ordered to pay Walmart for the damage to the drone when Walmart should be paying the air rights owners for transit access. What next? Walmart representatives will be sleeping in your spare room without permission and demanding payment!

The incident shows the importance of public education about managing private airspace. Walmart and other companies can short-circuit years of continued slow drone growth by engaging with them through SkyTrade.

The New Jersey drone issue further highlights how strongly people feel about their private property and air rights. Drones flying without permission in people's private airspace is wrong, and people will continue to take action to protect their rights.

China V American - Air Rights Valuations And The 3D Economy

Pingyin County sold its low-altitude airspace to Shandong Jinyu General Aviation Co., Ltd., which will lease it for 30 years for $130 million. The local government has monetized its low-altitude airspace. The low-altitude economy is a growing trend in China, with companies like XPeng developing flying cars and drone deliveries becoming common.

The government mirrors its land management system, where leasing land-use rights generates substantial revenue. The Civil Aviation Administration of China estimates the low-altitude economy market could reach $490 billion by 2035. The local government wants to develop the program to demonstrate how a low-altitude economy can work and how valuable air rights are. China plans to establish at least 400 new routes for low-altitude highways as part of national efforts. China is a command and control economy, unlike the United States, where freedom and respect for property rights are integral and defended.

"He who flies high sees far." - Chinese proverb.

The American property rights model has been used to advance people’s property and air rights and the freedom to control their airspace. US landowners own the low-altitude airspace above their real estate. Helping air rights owners to monetize their airspace and logistics companies, REITs, and others to lease landowners’ airspace to access permissioned air corridors ensures the US takes the lead, and this is what we are building with our air rights marketplace.

The way forward is for commercial drone entities to respect the air rights of real estate owners. Now that they can get the necessary permission, drones can avoid being shot down, communities can sleep easier, and decentralized market forces can take effect. In the meantime, the residents on the East Coast want their current drone issue solved quickly.

Thank you for reading.