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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