ACLU Sues Sonoma County for 700+ Warrantless Drone Surveillance Flights

The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California has filed a lawsuit against Sonoma County, accusing the county's code enforcement agency of conducting unconstitutional and invasive warrantless drone surveillance on residents. Initially launched to detect illegal cannabis cultivation in remote rural areas, the program has expanded to monitor unrelated code violations at residential properties, capturing over 5,600 images across more than 700 flights since 2019. Plaintiffs, including Nichola Schmitz, allege that drones have photographed private areas such as hot tubs and through windows, severely violating their privacy and leading to substantial fines and criminal investigations. The ACLU argues that these warrantless drone operations violate the California Constitution's privacy protections and calls for a court order to halt the program unless a warrant is obtained. County officials have declined to comment as they have not yet reviewed the lawsuit. This case highlights growing concerns over government drone surveillance infringing on citizens' privacy rights without proper oversight or transparency.