Aviation authorities are investigating claims a rogue drone operator is using high-tech surveillance to spy on residents in a Canberra high-rise apartment building.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) confirmed it has received a formal complaint regarding the illicit activity in the ACT and is currently investigating who owns the drone.
It comes in the wake of local social media channels erupting over privacy concerns after drones were allegedly spotted peering into high-rise homes.
While some commenters branded the pilot a tech-savvy "peeping Tom", others posted advice on how to track down the aircraft, which witnesses claim routinely vanishes in a flash.
The Canberra Times tracked down one affected resident, a young woman from South Canberra who works from her high-rise home. Describing the ongoing ordeal as a "dystopian nightmare", she said she had spotted the drone up close outside her window on three separate occasions in May alone.
"This drone has been flying around looking into windows. Before I could get my phone out to take a picture, it vanished," she said, adding that she believed the drone was being used to spy inside homes and take photographs.
She did not want to be identified.
She claimed several of her neighbours in the apartment complex had experienced similar encounters with the drone hovering outside their windows.
"I have made a report to the police and to CASA," she said.
ACT Policing said no formal reports of drone incidents had been received in the past fortnight. The woman, who is reportedly moving out of her rental apartment soon, could not be reached for further comment.
Meanwhile, on Monday, June 1, a white drone stuck in a residential building in the nearby Queanbeyan suburb of Crestwood caught the attention of residents. It has allegedly been lodged there since February.
One resident took to social media anonymously, writing, "Drone is still waiting for its rightful 'Peeping Tom' owner in the rain".
The post sparked a huge response, with many urging the community to track down the pilot.
The drone, which appears to be equipped with a camera and an SD card, remains trapped on bird spikes outside a second-floor window of the apartment complex. No one has come forward to retrieve it.
While one resident suspected "it's possibly the same one that was flying illegally around the local childcare centre and residential units not long ago," others engaged in banter, dubbing the craft the "great Peeping Tom model".
Despite the humour, most residents raised serious privacy concerns and urged the matter be reported to the Queanbeyan Police. One resident even offered to remove the drone from the spikes and hand it over to the police personally.
No residents on the scene were available for further comment.
Drone regulations from CASA state that drones must not be flown in populous areas and must be kept at least 30 metres away from people, houses, and cars.
A CASA spokesperson confirmed the agency has received one report of alleged illegal drone activity in the ACT so far this year.
"Many reports made to CASA are unable to be investigated due to a lack of evidence. When submitting a report, it helps to provide as much information as possible, including photos, videos, the drone's location and, where known, details about the operator," the spokesperson said.
If you believe someone is operating a drone unsafely or unlawfully, you can report it on CASA's website.
If there are fears for safety requiring an immediate response, call ACT Policing on 13 14 44.
