Drones and Guns Don’t Mix!

[Jagerbomb52]

For the first time, a federal grand jury has indicted an individual for the crime for shooting down a drone with a gun.

Drones and Guns Don’t Mix! | JD Supra

For the first time, a federal grand jury has indicted an individual for the crime for shooting down a drone with a gun. Recently, the United States...

www.jdsupra.com

 

[MARK (LI)]

Off with his head! ...about time

 

[sar104]

It's disappointing, however, that it took the destruction of a police drone before they could be bothered to prosecute under this law.

 

[Prop Wash]

Maybe, this will open the door to other prosecutions for the same thing. Sometimes, it takes one to get it started.

 

[Macinfo]

Sometimes local DA's ignore things that they think are really rare, so people get away with things they should not.. which is sort of obvious in some cities these days,

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Sometimes local DA's ignore things that they think are really rare, so people get away with things they should not.. which is sort of obvious in some cities these days,

True, but this is a federal prosecution though.

Maybe sets a precedent for future incidents with private drones too, an aircraft is an aircraft.

Shooting a drone down can have bad consequences for someone on the ground.
Authorities would / should also consider the possibility, as remote as it might be, of a projectile coming back to Earth and causing injury / death . . . it has occurred more than I thought it might have when I first looked into it.

 

[Pixeldawg]

For the first time, a federal grand jury has indicted an individual for the crime for shooting down a drone with a gun.

Drones and Guns Don’t Mix! | JD Supra

For the first time, a federal grand jury has indicted an individual for the crime for shooting down a drone with a gun. Recently, the United States...

www.jdsupra.com

Must be a pretty good shot though...

 

[Vic Moss]

We'll be following this very closely and reporting on it.

It's a good sign, and hopefully we'll see more of this soon.

 

[slozukimc]

Must be a pretty good shot though...

Nah, I could take a drone out of the sky easily with a shotgun if it is within range. Like duck hunting.

Edit: I see he used a .22. Must have been moving pretty slow.

 

[Slade]

Well, Lordy, Lordy. Government actually acting in a positive manner. Yay!

 

[Jagerbomb52]

A little history of the case. The accused has a list as long as you arm for charges ((1) a felon with 29 prior convictions,). It is very possible the shooting of the drone will get pleated out for all his other charges.
Will be a interesting case to follow.

 

[Zeprider]

Shooting down a drone comes with a number of possible penalties, or should…

• Discharging a firearm within community/city limits. In most places this is illegal.
• Illegal use of a firearm. This is not skeet.
• Shooting at and bringing down an aircraft.
• Destroying Police property.
• Endangering people on the ground from falling debris or ammunition returning to Earth.
• Interfering with a Police investigation.

I could probably go on but this guy has a whole slew of other issues including 29 prior felonies. They will probably prosecute on the whole package but the emphasis will be on the illegal possession of a firearm, destruction of Police property, and prior offenses taken into consideration.

 

[BigAl07]

It's disappointing, however, that it took the destruction of a police drone before they could be bothered to prosecute under this law.

I completely agree. It could have been ANY other UAS/Gun case but no it had to be the police drone....

 

[Dbez1]

I hope the other non-prosecuted cases had to pay for the drone (at the very least). I wonder if they had been insured by State Farm, if SF would have pursued it?

 

[Jagerbomb52]

Here is another "what if"
What if the guy was just your average red neck with two teenaged daughters and thought the police drone was spying on them. I wonder if this case would have gone this far?

 

[Pixeldawg]

Nah, I could take a drone out of the sky easily with a shotgun if it is within range. Like duck hunting.

Edit: I see he used a .22. Must have been moving pretty slow.

Was just being sarcastic...

 

[Remote Pilots Australia]

One of the most important if not the most important things in law is precedent. Law on a printed page is worth little until someone somewhere applies it in practice.

As we now have that precedent we can at least hope we will see the law upheld more often.

Regards
Ari

 

[3Greens]

I’m still waiting for a crime number from uk plod and for them to visit the land owner.
3 years ago my Mavic Enterprise Dual was shot at by a group of men out pheasant hunting on farm land where I fly (with permission)
The destruction of government property is bound to bring a reaction, private property however comes well down the list of priorities, at least in the uk.

 

[AheadAir]

Don't get your hopes up. Read the article through to the end:
"So, in this case, we have: (1) a felon with 29 prior convictions, (2) with an illegal firearm, who (3) shoots down a police drone. This obviously elevates the case above other, well publicized incidents which have gone unpunished.

Does this indictment mean there will be a new crackdown on people who shoot down drones? Probably not..."