Drone smuggling guns crashes near US / Canada border

[613_A2S]

Drone carrying 11 guns found stuck in tree near Canada-U.S. border along St. Clair River

On Friday morning, Lambton OPP, with the help of the St. Clair Township Fire Department, used a bucket truck to retrieve a large drone from a tree located on the bank of the St. Clair River — attached was a bag containing 11 handguns.

london.ctvnews.ca

 

[vindibona1]

You gotta know, this happens all the time. It only becomes newsworthy when the perp screws up. How many successful missions were there before? With all the tests and licensing, ect, would you speculate that the so called drone pilot was licensed and legal?

 

[613_A2S]

I’d bet my drone the person wasn’t licensed.

 

[-MavicMiniPilot]

I’d bet my drone the person wasn’t licensed.

Just saying if your going to waste all that money an an expensive drone learn to fly it right. Kinda ironic.

 

[VTOLAIR2]

Just saying if your going to waste all that money an an expensive drone learn to fly it right. Kinda ironic.

Money is nothing to drug or gun runner

 

[-MavicMiniPilot]

Money is nothing to drug or gun runner

Agreed. I just cringe when I see this kinda stuff.

 

[Skywatcher2001]

The drone probably has more market value than the guns . . .

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

The drone probably has more market value than the guns . . .

Looks like an older S900 (DJI Spreading Wings).

 

[DoomMeister]

I recently inquired about flights at the St. Clair River as there are some great photo ops with the ships and private watercraft that ply these waters. To be lawfully compliant in this area I would need to be licensed in Canada also since the border is along the midpoint of the river and if I stray across I would be in Canadian airspace.

Had a feeling that this type of stuff had to be ongoing as there has been this type of activity with private boats for decades. It is an utter shame we have to deal with criminals like this on both sides of the border.

 

[Skywatcher2001]

Looks like an older S900 (DJI Spreading Wings).

WOW! I went to DJI's website to view the specs. I was curious about the payload it could carry. 11 lbs? If I did my math correctly . . .

 

[KB9Radio]

That had to be a good size drone if was carrying 11 guns. It wasn't a Mavic, that's for sure!

 

[VTOLAIR2]

That's for sure,these criminals never seem to amaze me

 

[613_A2S]

Had a feeling that this type of stuff had to be ongoing as there has been this type of activity with private boats for decades. It is an utter shame we have to deal with criminals like this on both sides of the border.

Marina owner from an Ontario small town across from NY state on the St Lawrence River told me about 5 years ago that 50% of his business was dependent on drug, cigarette and gun smugglers.

 

[KB9Radio]

WOW! I went to DJI's website to view the specs. I was curious about the payload it could carry. 11 lbs? If I did my math correctly . . .

11 guns would have been at least 15 or 16 Lbs even if they were all "sub- compacts" and no ammo.

 

[BigAl07]

11 guns would have been at least 15 or 16 Lbs even if they were all "sub- compacts" and no ammo.

Which might be why it didn't complete the intended flight

DJI's "payload stats" are conservative (as are all of them). I had a 6-rotor rated to carry up to 3 LBS and we successfully deployed a payload of 5 lbs. with it albeit a VERY hairy flight.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

WOW! I went to DJI's website to view the specs. I was curious about the payload it could carry. 11 lbs? If I did my math correctly . . .

Yes, suggested 11lbs (4.9kg) payload capability.

From the article pics (shown upside down, they might not have known ! ) . . .

This model has been obsolete for some years, 18min full payload flight time, the Matrice series are well advanced on that now.
I guess unladen it could manage 30mins with 15000mAH 6S.

The S900 was a kit, it had to be built.
My son bought one many years ago, built it, think it just needs binding to the Futaba controller and it's good to go.
It's sitting home here in a spare room walk in robe, never flown, appears to be completely built, not sure if they need tuning, probably not being a DJI drone.

He bought it to use with a big DSLR, don't think he has a gimbal for it there though.

I checked the Futaba battery recently, all good.
Hoping the drone lipos are ok still, appear fine, no swelling etc, must put them on the fancy charger to check out fully one day.
He just lost interest in it sadly, still flies his P3 very rarely when we get together.

One day I will get it out and see if I can work through getting it airborne.

 

[Kentucky Ranger]

This reminds me of the Trailer Park Boys, smuggling dope across the Canadian boarder, via electric model train…