Loitering Drones

[Zee09]

I'm watching a show on drones.
How many here would shoot down a loitering drone if it was on your property for an extended period of time?

I'm talking about a person who had a good amount of average and not someone living in a town or city...

I saw one of those police shows where some old guy got arrested for doing the same. His neighbor was flying it over his house but he had no idea who was doing it...

It didn't hold up in court and the charges were dropped...

If it happened to you, would you call the police instead??? All of this assuming you don't know who is operating it and for what reason.

 

[Klutch9]

I live in a city and don’t own a firearm, but I have a hardball and a decent arm still…

 

[Zee09]

I live in a city and don’t own a firearm, but I have a hardball and a decent arm still…

So you wouldn't like it and try to down it ?

 

[Klutch9]

So you wouldn't like it and try to down it ?

For me, no. I’d leave it alone. I live in a small town, but there’s always stuff going on, we have a few kids in the street, etc. I’d assume someone was just flying it for fun without malicious intent. But if I lived in the sticks, I’d likely be suspicious. I’m more annoyed by drones at the beach honestly. Nothing like trying to relax with a whirring drone overhead.

 

[spasm3]

I wouldn't shoot it down, if it has cameras and is transmitting, you might be recorded committing a federal offense.

 

[andrew_j]

The recent drone show Ukrainians had putting a dent in Russias strategic bomber fleet was interesting stuff.

Basically a Trojan horse.

 

[Zee09]

The recent show Ukrainians had putting a dent in Russias strategic bomber fleet was interesting stuff.

Yeah I'm watching some of that now

 

[SC Maintenance]

Neighbors kids have a drone. Realtors now use drones to show the neighborhood. I guess It would depend on the definition of loitering - how long and how far?

Now back on the farm, likely a different story

 

[AZjeff]

A drone flying over your property going somewhere is one thing. A drone hovering above you and your property is cause for concern.

From dronepilotgroundschool.com :

According to the FAA, you may fly a drone over private property as long as these rules are followed:

• Drones must be flown below 400 feet altitude
• You must keep the drone within visual line of sight
• You must register any drone weighing over 0.55 pounds with the FAA
• If you’re flying commercially (i.e., for work) you need to obtain an FAA Part 107 certificate (also called a drone license)
• You can’t fly over people or cars

 

[Elkins45]

IIRC shooting down a drone is a federal felony.

 

[y_p_w]

IIRC shooting down a drone is a federal felony.

Likely also negligent discharge of a firearm.

Strangely enough, newer anti-drone weapons might be safer around people. This is the XM12111 from Northrop Grumman. Has a proximity fuze with a self-destruct. Just has to get close enough to the target (like an antiaircraft missile) where it detects being close enough and just goes boom spraying out a burst of debris.

 

[oldhp]

So if a drone was hovering close to your daughters / wife's window............. Calling the cops is useless. They don't have drone zap guns. Every scenario different. But there needs to be a ruling of when I can shoot it down.

 

[Hall]

How many here would shoot down a loitering drone if it was on your property for an extended period of time?

You might want to read up on laws. YOU will be the one in trouble.

So if a drone was hovering close to your daughters / wife's window

As much as I disagree, there's still very little you can do. Buy a "net" gun ? Go find the drone operator and deal with them.... Maybe tell a little white lie by calling the police and tell them the drone was outside your 14 year old daughter's bathroom window and she was taking a shower. That would get their attention. If they seize the drone and check the pictures or videos and your daughter appears in any of them, the person will probably be in deep doo-doo.

 

[samven]

Get your own drone and ACCIDENTALLY run into the trespasser.

 

[scrllock]

Shooting at an airborne target without a backdrop violates basic gun safety (on top of being a felony).

That said, you can do some serious damage to a digital camera with a high powered laser...

 

[Pew]

You guys can't jump that high and just grab it? Amateurs.

 

[spackard]

Had 2 in the last 6 months.
A third is more of a UAV run at night by the PD.

 

[billt460]

This is somewhat of a touchy subject. Especially if it involves firearms. Most all cities and towns have ordinances against discharging firearms inside the city limits. Here they are a bit more lenient about it, especially if someone shoots a rattlesnake, or a coyote inside their backyard, if it's becoming a threat to your dog or young kid.

Today it also becomes political, depending where your city or town stands on the whole gun issue. In places like Chicago or Minneapolis for example, you would more than likely have a big problem. Laramie Wyoming, not so much.

Some of these drones are very sophisticated and expensive. The owners / pilots of these things don't want them damaged. So they're going to be more cautious about where and how they fly them.

Personally, unless they are being very bold, and obvious about trying to aggravate you with the thing, I would simply leave it alone.

 

[dnewton3]

A drone flying over your property going somewhere is one thing. A drone hovering above you and your property is cause for concern.

From dronepilotgroundschool.com
- Drones must be flown below 400 feet altitude:
- You must keep the drone within visual line of sight
- You must register any drone weighing over 0.55 pounds with the FAA
- If you’re flying commercially (i.e., for work) you need to obtain an FAA Part 107 certificate (also called a drone license)
- You can’t fly over people or cars

In addition to Federal law, there are state laws often in play. It is a crime in Indiana to fly a drone over someone or their property under these conditions, among others. Note that it becomes a felony under certain conditions. Indiana Code 35-45-4-5(g)...

(g) A person who, with the intent to peep, operates an unmanned aerial vehicle in a manner that is intended to cause the unmanned aerial vehicle to enter the space above or surrounding another person's occupied dwelling for the purpose of capturing images, photographs, video recordings, or audio recordings of the other person while the other person is:
(1) within the other person's occupied dwelling; or
(2) on the land or premises:
(A) on which the other person's occupied dwelling is located; and
(B) in a location that is not visible from an area
(i) open to the general public; or
(ii) where a member of the general public has the right to be;
commits remote aerial voyeurism, a Class A misdemeanor.
(h) The offense under subsection (g) is a Level 6 felony if the person has a prior unrelated conviction under this section or if the person:
(1) publishes the images, photographs, or recordings captured;
(2) makes the images, photographs, or recordings captured available on the Internet; or
(3) transmits or disseminates the images, photographs, or recordings captured to another person.

The issue becomes one of intent. But "peep" (peeping) is fairly broadly defined in Indiana code.

None of that, however, gives implied consent for the drone to be shot down. Two wrongs don't make a right, so to speak.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

I'm watching a show on drones.
How many here would shoot down a loitering drone if it was on your property for an extended period of time?

I'm talking about a person who had a good amount of average and not someone living in a town or city...

I saw one of those police shows where some old guy got arrested for doing the same. His neighbor was flying it over his house but he had no idea who was doing it...

It didn't hold up in court and the charges were dropped...

If it happened to you, would you call the police instead??? All of this assuming you don't know who is operating it and for what reason.

As I understand it you don't have the right to privacy unless stated otherwise. Obviously it's a different story if the drone was flying in an aggressive manner