Attempted Takedown with Shotgun?

[Norb_DAIS]

I got a last minute job from a client to go to a property in Stockton (CA) and get some aerial photos for the realtor to use. I was behind the property obscured by brush when a large white pickup truck drove by. I figure they were looking for me, but I continued what I was doing, landed my Mavic and started walking toward my car. The truck pulls up alongside of me, and the 50-60 something German guy says "why are you flying your drone over my property?". I told him I'm taking photos for a realtor and that I was not taking photos of his property.

He asked why I didn't notify the neighbors, and I told him that I didn't intend to spend too much time taking the photos, but agreed that I should have made an effort to notify the neighbors on either side of the home and apologized if the drone made him uncomfortable. I offered to let him look at the photos on the card. He refused and said he had his shotgun out and was going to shoot it out of the sky.

We talked a little more and I got him to calm down and our conversation became more cordial. I informed him that I was going to take a few more shots in front of the house and he was good with that. I offered to take aerial photos of his property and he accepted. After taking the photos in front of the house, I started packing away the drone and noticed that one of my front props had a good chunk of it missing. I get home and started working on my photos and zoomed into their yard and noticed the wife watching the drone, and then, further down the sequence of shots, I see the husband holding a rifle. I'm not sure what make/model but now I'm thinking that he actually shot at it and the missing chunk was from a bullet. I'm not certain, but now, although we seemed to end our conversation on good terms, I'm a little upset.

My takeaway from this, is that in the future, I will make an effort to inform neighbors of the activity. However, I think the attempted takedown of the drone crossed the line.

 

[brett8883]

I got a last minute job from a client to go to a property in Stockton (CA) and get some aerial photos for the realtor to use. I was behind the property obscured by brush when a large white pickup truck drove by. I figure they were looking for me, but I continued what I was doing, landed my Mavic and started walking toward my car. The truck pulls up alongside of me, and the 50-60 something German guy says "why are you flying your drone over my property?". I told him I'm taking photos for a realtor and that I was not taking photos of his property.

He asked why I didn't notify the neighbors, and I told him that I didn't intend to spend too much time taking the photos, but agreed that I should have made an effort to notify the neighbors on either side of the home and apologized if the drone made him uncomfortable. I offered to let him look at the photos on the card. He refused and said he had his shotgun out and was going to shoot it out of the sky.

We talked a little more and I got him to calm down and our conversation became more cordial. I informed him that I was going to take a few more shots in front of the house and he was good with that. I offered to take aerial photos of his property and he accepted. After taking the photos in front of the house, I started packing away the drone and noticed that one of my front props had a good chunk of it missing. I get home and started working on my photos and zoomed into their yard and noticed the wife watching the drone, and then, further down the sequence of shots, I see the husband holding a rifle. I'm not sure what make/model but now I'm thinking that he actually shot at it and the missing chunk was from a bullet. I'm not certain, but now, although we seemed to end our conversation on good terms, I'm a little upset.

My takeaway from this, is that in the future, I will make an effort to inform neighbors of the activity. However, I think the attempted takedown of the drone crossed the line.

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That’s a pump action shot gun and there’s no way you wouldn’t have heard it. It will make the ground tremble. It would have done a lot more damage than that too.

 

[brett8883]

They also look like they are smiling so I bet they were hoping you’d see them and were playing a joke on you. From that distance it would have turned the mavic into dust

 

[Norb_DAIS]

That’s a pump action shot gun and there’s no way you wouldn’t have heard it. It will make the ground tremble. It would have done a lot more damage than that too.

That makes sense because I didn't hear anything.

 

[Norb_DAIS]

They also look like they are smiling so I bet they were hoping you’d see them and were playing a joke on you. From that distance it would have turned the mavic into dust

He was plenty mad. I was fortunate to have kept my calm and not escalate the situation.

 

[brett8883]

He was plenty mad. I was fortunate to have kept my calm and not escalate the situation.

You did do the right thing. Too many crazies around with guns these days

 

[Shon]

Can't imagine you wouldn't have heard the gunshot. I agree with the speculation of others. Nice job de-escalating the situation.

 

[AMann]

Good handling of that situation!

Im really curious about the prop damage- it was obviously hit by a gun, had you ever hit anything, it wouldn’t have been on the trailing edge of the prop. Has anyone else seen this type of damage on the trailing edge?

It is possible that the guy is holding a .22
cal pellet gun and not a shotgun- both are pump action, and you would not have heard that go off as easily as a shotgun Also, they could do that type of damage if its a lucky shot.

 

[brett8883]

Good handling of that situation!

Im really curious about the prop damage- have you ever hit anything, and has anyone else seen this type of damage?

It is possible that the guy is holding a .22
cal pellet gun and not a shotgun- both are pump action, and you would not have heard that go off as easily as a shotgun Also, they could do that type of damage if its a lucky shot.

Im going off the "he said it was a shot gun, it looks like a shot gun, if you were wanting to take down something like this a shotgun would be the method of choice" method here.

 

[AMann]

By the way- in California, state law prohibits negligent shooting of a gun in the air (excludes hunting), so he could have faced a misdemeanor charge for doing it if he had (Negligent Firing of Firearm Penal Code 246.3 PC). Just something to keep in mind if anyone encounters the public and police in a situation like that.

 

[AMann]

Im going off the "he said it was a shot gun, it looks like a shot gun, if you were wanting to take down something like this a shotgun would be the method of choice" method here.

Maybe he had both- Im assuming the prop did get hit, but not by a very loud gun since OP didn't hear it.

 

[brett8883]

Maybe he had both- Im assuming the prop did get hit, but not by a very loud gun since OP didn't hear it.

I was looking up something I remembered about fighters in ww1 firing through their front props without a timing gear to come up with what the probability of hitting the prop would be stubbled on this video which was so cool I don't care about math any more

 

[Pontoon-pilot]

If you did not hear it, it was not a shotgun. Even a .22 you would have heard it.
Pellet gun is what you are looking at.

 

[AMann]

If you did not hear it, it was not a shotgun. Even a .22 you would have heard it.
Pellet gun is what you are looking at.

Thats what I said- After mulling it over, I really think the prop was hit by a pellet too. What other type of strike can do that type of damage on the trailing prop edge while flying without the OP realizing it? He’s lucky he got the bird back with that.

Also, its better he cooled off the crazy guy. People willing to illegally shoot in the air in a city and confront others are best not trying to argue with.

 

[AMann]

I was looking up something I remembered about fighters in ww1 firing through their front props without a timing gear to come up with what the probability of hitting the prop would be stubbled on this video which was so cool I don't care about math any more

Good video- based on what they fired to what hit the prop, shows about a hundred to one chance of hitting a prop in their scenario. I know the probability of hitting it up in the air with a pellet is much much lower, but its still there. OP should buy a lottery ticket. Do you have another theory of what could have caused trailing edge prop damage like that while flying without the OP realizing it?

 

[Norb_DAIS]

After the first reply, I am apt to agree that IF the guy did try to shoot it down, I would have heard a shotgun...which I didn't. I wouldn't have heard a pellet gun from where I was at.

The guy said shotgun so I assumed that's what he is holding in the photo. I'm obviously not a gun enthusiast.

He commented how long it stayed up in the air and how stable it was in the wind.

If you did not hear it, it was not a shotgun. Even a .22 you would have heard it.
Pellet gun is what you are looking at.

 

[LowCountryFlyer]

Oh goodie...You have photos of the perp.

That's jail time for discharging a gun like that in an urban area.

 

[sar104]

I was looking up something I remembered about fighters in ww1 firing through their front props without a timing gear to come up with what the probability of hitting the prop would be stubbled on this video which was so cool I don't care about math any more

In this case the probability of a .22 pellet, on that trajectory, hitting a prop rather than passing between them is approximately ⅓.

 

[AMann]

Oh goodie...You have photos of the perp.

That's jail time for discharging a gun like that in an urban area.

In Caliornia, negligent discharge like firing in the air is a 1 year misdemeanor.

 

[JAW]

Police report filed?