The small drone that flew into a Chicago couple’s backyard and spooked neighbors Monday has been claimed by its owner.
Jeff Joyce, the drone’s owner, says he was flying the small aircraft from his backyard with friends when the GPS signal was lost mid-flight, setting off a feature which causes it to land as soon as the battery or signal is low.
Where the drone landed just so happened to be in a nearby backyard, much to the dismay of the home’s owners.
Noemi Kopp-Tanaka says when she noticed the small aircraft in the backyard she shares with her husband Peter in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood, she immediately trapped it with lawn chairs until police could carry it away.
At the same time, Joyce was just around the block frantically searching for his missing $1,300 drone. He had even posted flyers around the neighborhood in case someone had spotted it.
“I lost a dog before and I had that exact same feeling,” Joyce said.
The couple said they were unnerved by the errant drone, and regardless if it was just a toy that got away from its owner.
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“It’s an invasion of privacy no matter what,” Peter Kopp said.
The drone was initially spotted by their neighbor who spotted “red and blue lights” in the air Sunday evening hours before it was discovered in the yard.
"There's a presence of something weird in your property with a camera," said Kopp-Tanaka. "You feel really uncomfortable about that."
Joyce, on the other hand, insisted he had no bad intentions. He typically only uses his drone to take photos of the city and to assess roof damage for his roof restoration company, Severe Storms Restoration.
The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed rules regarding drone use, such as only allowing them to be flown during the day and at a certain height, as well as keeping them away from crowded areas.
The officer who responded said it was his first about a drone in a backyard.
