328 U.S. 256 (1946)
United States v. Causby is a foundational case in property law and the regulation of airspace under federal aviation policy.
Does a government operation of military flights in the airspace over a private property, at altitudes that directly interfere with the use and enjoyment of the property, constitute a 'taking' under the Fifth Amendment?
The Fifth Amendment requires that the government provides just compensation for private property taken for public use. Traditional property rights include the right to exclusive control of the immediate reaches of the enveloping atmosphere over the land.
The Supreme Court held that the government incurs liability for a taking under the Fifth Amendment when its use of the airspace over private property directly interferes with the use and enjoyment of that land, warranting compensation to the landowner.
U.S. v. Causby is significant because it established the principle that property rights extend to the lower airspace above the land, limited by the need for navigable airspace for public benefit. The case set a precedent in balancing private property rights against the needs of a growing aviation industry, a balance that has been central to subsequent developments in both property and aviation law.