Markwright - 5/14/2014 20:31 any person, vessel, vehicle or structure. aircraft must maintain an altitude of 500 ft above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. US, Part 91 ( specifically 91.119 ) FAA. An aircraft is an aircraft. ( manned or unmanned, matters notta, btw ). To clarify...FAA part 91.119 (c) Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure. Lest anyone misconstrue the regulation...especially the part about "sparsely populated" It is 500 ft....but that can be HORIZONTALLY from any person, vessel, or structure... THAT IS IMPORTANT....it isn't 500 feet ABOVE a person, vessel, or structure. Crop sprayers come under different FAA rules when it comes to "minimum safe altitude"..obviously In other words...I can fly "in sparsely populated areas" at less than 500 feet all day long..as long as I stay 500 feet away, horizontally from persons, vessels, or structures.. | 
Drone invading someone's privacy.
