Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

Residents concerned about drones: Say devices fly too close, invades privacy

Residents concerned about drones: Say devices fly too close, invades privacy

Some residents on the main island of Tortola are becoming alarmed by what they say is an increase in the amount of drone activity in residential areas, especially during after-dark hours. These residents have said they believe the presence of the drones is an invasion of their privacy.

“These drones can come to your bedroom level and the zoom on these cameras can see straight into your bedroom. What if you are sleeping at night and they are hovering these drones and seeing what you are doing?” said one male resident who spoke to BVI News on the condition of anonymity.

The man, who is a resident of Sage Mountain on Tortola, added: “I don’t have a problem that they are using it, but the BVI should have laws, and you should have a permit, especially in residential areas.”

“This has been going on for a while now … this is an invasion of privacy. These people who fly the drones here; do they have a permit to use these drones? Are there any laws in place for drone activities in the BVI? And what is the law? We need to know,” he continued.

The Sage Mountain resident said he spotted one of the drones being operated in West End just minutes before midnight earlier this month.

He said he also spotted drones in Huntums Ghut, Sea Cows Bay, Nanny Cay and in his Sage Mountain community.

“These people could be recording you, and you don’t know,” he said before calling on central government to probe and address the issue.

One female businesswoman residing in the Nanny Cay area of Tortola told BVI News she also had an encounter with the flying devices.

She said one hovered above her property just this week.

“It was about midday on Sunday and it was right there. I stood and I watched it for ages. I’m asking what were they doing?”

No drone regulation laws, police say

Deputy Police Commissioner Alwin James told BVI News on Tuesday that there are presently no laws in place to govern the use of drone activity in the territory.

“The Air Safety Support International has regulations on drones. It applies to the BVI but it is more so as it relates to where it interferes with aircrafts coming into the airport. [But], we don’t have any regulations on our books as it relates to drones,” James said.

“Drones are a recent thing, and no permit is required to utilize them.”

When asked if the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) own drones, the deputy commissioner responded with a ‘yes’. However, he said, “RVIPF drones are associated with [their] K-9 Unit and the search-and-rescue at sea.”

The Deputy Police Commissioner said there have been no reports received about the drone disturbances. He further said there are no restrictions on anyone wishing to import drones in the BVI.

Drones to form part of security plan

Notably, just last year, Governor Augustus Jaspert said a new security plan for the territory would see the introduction of drones in the territory.

He said the police drone surveillance would be purchased with a portion of the £1.2 million the United Kingdom had donated to the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) in December 2017.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
×