Drones can be shot down
Drone flyers beware: your precious flying contraption could very well be shot out of the sky if it strays over private property.
That is according to the Private Drone Association of SA, which said flying a drone into private property would constitute trespassing. “But I would probably advise chucking something at the drone, or reporting it to the authorities instead of shooting,” the association’s Warren Gardiner said. “If it’s bothering you and it has no permission to be near your house, you can attack the drone. That is the law,” he said, adding that police can be called to intervene.
“We usually advise people not to fly their drones just anywhere, and to stay away from roads and not to fly too high.” Gardiner said the popularity of using drones for casual purposes, like taking video footage, had grown over the years, adding that there was a huge misconception that a person needed a license to fly one.
Casual drone flyers are also not allowed to fly their machines within a 10 km radius of any airfield or airport, near national key points, courts, prisons or power stations. They can also not be flown in national parks overseen by SANParks like the Kruger National Park. It is advisable to keep them clear of sports fields, stadiums and schools.
More info about drone rules in South Africa.