Local law enforcement fired shots at consumer drones flying during Dakota Pipeline Protest

LuvMyTJ · Oct 26, 2016

Local law enforcement fired shots at consumer drones flying during a Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) protest near Mandan, ND, on Sunday morning. Read the story at the source link below...

SOURCE: Drone Pilot and FAA Comment on Drone Shooting at North Dakota Pipeline Protest | Drone360 Magazine

shorttimer · Oct 27, 2016

Thanks for the article. I know there will be differing opinions but if I am flying (especially over a protest or such) and a manned aircraft such as a helicopter enters the airspace - my drone is coming down. I know many will disagree but that is just me. I never want to create a negative image for the hobby. Look at what just recently happened in Sweden.

LuvMyTJ · Oct 27, 2016

I agree, these guys were definitely flying aggressively. I am not one to condone shooting at a drone but if I was that LEO I would of shot at it too. You never know what people will do these days. There was no need to fly in the LEO's face.

Alex Baxter · Oct 27, 2016

Both sides being over aggressive, I think. The really scary stuff is the mass of misinformation in the comments section of the article. Anyone that 'buzzes' anyone else or their property can't really be representing all that's right and good?

CactusJackSlade · Oct 27, 2016

Both side were being aggressive, the Phantom operator was way too aggressive on that first real close pass toward the police and the armored vehicle... way too close. If something is a tense situation was flying straight at me I'd probably do the same thing...

On the other hand the story the police gave is total BS... and all the flight info will be on the operators tablet...

Bob Mador · Oct 28, 2016

What I'm concerned with when ANYONE shoots at a drone... where is that bullet that missed going?

When firing a weapon into the sky and it does not impact with the intended target... that bullet continues to go until gravity makes it impact the ground... or anyone or anything that happens to be in the way!

This to me is "negligent" firing. One of the canons of firearms use is "Know what your target is and what is beyond the target".

High powered rifle rounds may have an "effective range" of 300 or 400 yards... but they will travel up to 1000 yards or more before they impact the ground.

Most operators are well within that 1000 yard range while operating their drones!

choder · Oct 28, 2016

Bob Mador said:
What I'm concerned with when ANYONE shoots at a drone... where is that bullet that missed going?

When firing a weapon into the sky and it does not impact with the intended target... that bullet continues to go until gravity makes it impact the ground... or anyone or anything that happens to be in the way!

This to me is "negligent" firing. One of the canons of firearms use is "Know what your target is and what is beyond the target".

High powered rifle rounds may have an "effective range" of 300 or 400 yards... but they will travel up to 1000 yards or more before they impact the ground.

Most operators are well within that 1000 yard range while operating their drones!

You obviously know nothing about guns, or buckshot. Shooting at a quad in the airwith a shot gun, will result in the buckshot falling like rain drops. Yes high power guns have a long range. But you don't shoot quads down with rifles. You would need an Olympic shooter from the winter games to do it with a rifle

From the story "Less-lethal munitions and 12 gauge buckshot rounds caused damage to Dedman’s DJI Phantom 3 Advanced‘s landing gears, while he says Digital Smoke Signals’ drone was reportedly shot down."

dam · Oct 29, 2016

Seemed the drone operator was aggressively aggravating the cops by going in so close..

Anton Chigurh · Oct 31, 2016

choder said:
You obviously know nothing about guns, or buckshot. Shooting at a quad in the airwith a shot gun, will result in the buckshot falling like rain drops. Yes high power guns have a long range. But you don't shoot quads down with rifles. You would need an Olympic shooter from the winter games to do it with a rifle

From the story "Less-lethal munitions and 12 gauge buckshot rounds caused damage to Dedman’s DJI Phantom 3 Advanced‘s landing gears, while he says Digital Smoke Signals’ drone was reportedly shot down."

Birdshot (#7 or even BB) might fall out of the sky like raindrops, but buckshot is going to fall like some nasty hail, and will definitely leave a mark. Additionally, 00 Buck can travel over 600 yards.

Here'a a chart showing total travel:

12 Gauge
No. 6 ............................................ 708 feet or 236 yards
No. 0 ..........................................1,845 feet or 615 yards
No. 00 ........................................1,895 feet or 632 yards
Slug, 1 oz ................................3,780 feet or 1,260 yards

From the Digest
* Distances above are with barrel held at an elevated angle for maximum trajectory.Always consider the angle of your barrel when shooting.
* Never shoot at or over the crest of a hill.
* All distances are approximate and can vary depending on the shotgun’s gauge/choke and ammunition used.

choder · Oct 31, 2016

You made my point, nobody's getting killed. And if he was shooting at a drone with #00 buckshot he should go back to Boy Scouts and learn how to choose shot, unless he thought it was a flying unicorn and was trying to shoot it down.

Whenever I harass Law Enforcement Officers with my drone I always make sure to fly on the other side of them so that when they shoot I don't get hit. To me that's just common sense.

Plus this was in North Dakota, look at how dressed up they were because of how cold it is. You can't even recognize them. Any falling shot of the sky surely isn't going to hurt them when they have all of their winter clothes on like that.

dam · Oct 31, 2016

choder said:
Whenever I harass Law Enforcement Officers with my drone I always make sure to fly on the other side of them so that when they shoot I don't get hit.

Lol.. you do know it's not difficult to find them to find you now.. tracing your IP..

choder · Oct 31, 2016

dam said:
Lol.. you do know it's not difficult to find them to find you now.. tracing your IP..

I also would wear better sunglasses, not my grandma's big blue blocker sunglasses.

Bob Mador · Nov 1, 2016

choder said:
You obviously know nothing about guns, or buckshot. Shooting at a quad in the airwith a shot gun, will result in the buckshot falling like rain drops. Yes high power guns have a long range. But you don't shoot quads down with rifles. You would need an Olympic shooter from the winter games to do it with a rifle

From the story "Less-lethal munitions and 12 gauge buckshot rounds caused damage to Dedman’s DJI Phantom 3 Advanced‘s landing gears, while he says Digital Smoke Signals’ drone was reportedly shot down."

When I posted my comment about "high-powered" rifles I had not truly studied the video. I thought I saw M-16 style rifles firing at the drone. After your comment I went back and studied what I was watching. You are absolutely right, sir. They were using primarily "less lethal" ball guns. Thank you for pointing that out to me.

chazzm · Nov 26, 2016

I believe everyone's missing an important issue here, having a registered UAV, Doesn't the UAV have the same laws concerning it as regular aircraft? And isn't it a federal crime to fire at an aircraft!?!?