Drone shot at today!

[AMann]

Some people shouldn’t own one at all, they are irresponsible and their loved ones often pay the ultimate price because of it. Then there’s the crazy ones that think they can do stuff like this…The owner was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon- should have also been attempted murder as he was shooting at the guys while they were driving away.

 

[Dan'sUavTech]

Some people shouldn’t own one at all, they are irresponsible

In full agreement!

 

[Mrktn]

@Tristar500 any further news on this?

 

[Tower669]

yes please. status updates?

 

[mavic3usa]

Here's an example of someone shining a laser at a manned aircraft and you can compare that to shining a laser at an unmanned aircraft when you think about federal prosecutors or juries. I'll leave this here:

Man Charged With Shining Laser Pointer At Trump’s Helicopter Acquitted In 35 Minutes

It's another embarrassing outcome for Jeanine Pirro, who tried to "make a felon out of a homeless man with nothing but a cat toy keychain."

www.aol.com

 

[anotherlab]

Here's an example of someone shining a laser at a manned aircraft and you can compare that to shining a laser at an unmanned aircraft when you think about federal prosecutors or juries. I'll leave this here:

Man Charged With Shining Laser Pointer At Trump’s Helicopter Acquitted In 35 Minutes

It's another embarrassing outcome for Jeanine Pirro, who tried to "make a felon out of a homeless man with nothing but a cat toy keychain."

www.aol.com

The man in question was acquitted because he was carrying a red laser cat toy, and he aimed it up because an officer had shone a flashlight in his face. The jury believed that he was not aiming at any aircraft.

Had he been aiming at an aircraft with a green laser with enough power to reach the cockpit, the trial could have been very different.

 

[mavic3usa]

The man in question was acquitted because he was carrying a red laser cat toy, and he aimed it up because an officer had shone a flashlight in his face. The jury believed that he was not aiming at any aircraft.

Had he been aiming at an aircraft with a green laser with enough power to reach the cockpit, the trial could have been very different.

"During the interview, S-1 admitted to pointing the red laser pointer at Marine One. [defendant] said he did not know he could not point the laser at Marine One; he said he points the laser at all kinds of things, such as stop signs."

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.285272/gov.uscourts.dcd.285272.1.1.pdf

 

[Bad Santa]

I think it would have been different if he pointed a laser "pointer" like the one I have.
For plausible deniability purposes, I won't elaborate further on that.

 

[Chip]

I think it would have been different if he pointed a laser "pointer" like the one I have.
For plausible deniability purposes, I won't elaborate further on that.

Lots of people getting arrested for laser strikes on aircraft.

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[mavic3usa]

Yeah I think my point is with a manned aircraft, the state and local governments are going to arrest and prosecute for sure. The federal government is a maybe, maybe not...depends.

For a drone, the state and local government *and* the central government....let's face it, going to be a hard pass for consumer drones and again, you will get the hammer if it's a law enforcement drone especially in the course of their duties.

It's sad to say but we have to take our place in the recreational drone community whether it's a laser or a real projectile. I'm waiting to hear back from the OP as well.

 

[anotherlab]

Yeah I think my point is with a manned aircraft, the state and local governments are going to arrest and prosecute for sure. The federal government is a maybe, maybe not...depends.

For a drone, the state and local government *and* the central government....let's face it, going to be a hard pass for consumer drones and again, you will get the hammer if it's a law enforcement drone especially in the course of their duties.

This had nothing to do with law enforcement drones.

That being said, I'm all for the hammer coming down on the idiots aiming high-powered green lasers into the cockpits of manned aircraft. Not to be confused with homeless people armed with cat toys.

I'm waiting to hear back from the OP as well.

Are we back to the OP? It's been 10 days, I wonder if he has any updates...

 

[mavic3usa]

That being said, I'm all for the hammer coming down on the idiots aiming high-powered green lasers into the cockpits of manned aircraft. Not to be confused with homeless people armed with cat toys.

Yep, either way, my opinion stands.

Yeah I think my point is with a manned aircraft, the state and local governments are going to arrest and prosecute for sure. The federal government is a maybe, maybe not...depends.

For a drone, the state and local government *and* the central government....let's face it, going to be a hard pass for consumer drones and again, you will get the hammer if it's a law enforcement drone especially in the course of their duties.

 

[Tristar500]

Update:
On Thursday, 1/22/2026, I was contacted by an FAA official and engaged in a short telephone interview to clarify the facts I presented in the initial report. Soon after the telephone call, I received an email informing me to confirm that an investigation had been started for Case File: AAE-EHL-20260109-XXX

The case is being passed on to a LEAP official.

Law Enforcement Assistance Program (LEAP)​

The Law Enforcement Assistance Program (LEAP) consists of field investigative and operational activities that support federal, state, and local agencies by denying anyone who would threaten national security access to the National Airspace System.

We take regulatory enforcement actions and, as appropriate, provide aviation-related support to law enforcement agencies seeking criminal prosecution or conducting airborne drug interdiction. Agents also provide training to law enforcement officers in aviation smuggling techniques and FAA resources.

The LEAP is run by FAA headquarters Office of National Security Programs and Incident Response, and special agents assigned to the Law Enforcement Assistance Program Division

I'll provide updates as I get them.

 

[Tristar500]

This had nothing to do with law enforcement drones.

That being said, I'm all for the hammer coming down on the idiots aiming high-powered green lasers into the cockpits of manned aircraft. Not to be confused with homeless people armed with cat toys.



Are we back to the OP? It's been 10 days, I wonder if he has any updates...

see update below, the govenment moves slowly...

 

[Pilot KLB]

At approximately 10 minutes into the flight with my DJI Air 2 S, my neighbor and I heard gunfire close to our position. I used the drone to try to determine where it was coming from and spotted a few individuals walking about in the adjacent property. I was unable to determine the source of the gunfire and was running low on battery (27%), so I decided it was time to return to my location and land the aircraft, which I did so on autoreturn while maintaining visual line of sight. During the last part of the descent, I thought the motor/propeller noise seemed unusual. The landing of the aircraft was rough and unusual. A post-flight examination of the aircraft revealed a heavily damaged propeller blade. At the time, I didn't think too much about it and removed the damaged propeller assembly so as to be sure to replace the damaged part before the next flight.

It was not until I got back to my office and downloaded the still photos and videos that I became aware of the fact that the aircraft had been fired at by an individual on the ground with a semi-automatic handgun. I have video showing the aircraft taking fire.

Talked to the FBI and filed a report with the FAA. Contacting local law enforcement in the morning. (I'm outside city limits, so under the Sheriff's jurisdiction, and they don't open till 8 am.

Terrible! I hope they are held accountable. Glad only a propeller was damaged.