...[NPR reporter Steve] HENN: During World War II, the Army takes over the airport and suddenly big military planes are followed flying over Causby's chicken coops all the time.

[UCLA law professor Stuart] BANNER: All the chickens died. They had to give up chicken farming. They had a baby who couldn't sleep.

HENN: So Causby sued. The case goes all the way to the Supreme Court and he wins. The court ruled landowners might not own the sky to the heavens but they do still own it up to at least 83 feet. To recap, Congress says above 500 feet this is a public highway [regulated by the FAA]. The air below 83 feet, according to the courts that belongs to landowners like Causby. But this decision left a gap, it created unclaimed territory in the air. And it is that territory that pilots of tiny little unmanned aircraft, little drones, have their eyes on...