On Tue, 10 Nov 2015 09:43:51 -0500, John H.
wrote:

Are there laws preventing one from climbing on their roof to video the folks at their
pool next door? Would it be illegal for me to climb up a step ladder and look over
the fence? I really don't think that's a matter for the federal government. Perhaps
that's where the cities should step in.
--

Actually no
This is a topic that comes up in my (inspector) legal courses. We had
a pitch about this from a Florida muni court judge.
Basically it pertained to unpermitted activity and the ability of an
inspector to look for it but it is the same law that would control any
snooping activity. Essentially it says that you can look at anything
you can see from outside the person's property lines, particularly if
you are on public property but also if you are on another person's
private property with their permission. That includes climbing on the
roof for a better look.

That gets a little more ambagious when you are talking about air
rights. As a general rule, you own the air, 500 feet above the ground
on your lot but over that is open for aircraft to fly over.
(Illegal to operate a hobby drone tho since it is over 500 feet)

The case can easily be made that it is illegal to fly a drone over
private property without permission but, like you say. I am not sure
how you enforce that. If the person with the drone is careful to stay
out over the public street and shoot pictures from there, I doubt
there is anything you can do about it.
If the operator then publishes the pictures, that opens up a whole
other can of worms.

It really looks like drones may have been designed by lawyers to drum
up business.