Minnesota man shoots down drone with shotgun

[sar104]

Another test case...

Minnesota man shoots down drone with shotgun

Concerned that it was spying on his business, a man in Minnesota shoots the drone out of the sky. It's just the latest in a long history of drone shootings.

dronedj.com

 

[dirkclod]

Like I posted on this in PP I would really like to know the whole story about this from both sides.
Shooter should get what’s coming to him but bet there’s way
more to it than what we see. Has to be some history behind all that. Guy admitted to shooting it so that’s out of the way.
I just wonder.
This was the article posted in PP about it.

Man charged for shooting down drone

BUTTERFIELD — A man is facing two felony charges for allegedly shooting down a drone that was flying over a Butterfield business.

www.thelandonline.com

 

[PHZ]

Forrest Gump once said, “Stupid is as stupid does.” He was not wrong.

 

[ChrisOutdoors]

Been waterfowl hunting my whole life and guys either a good shot or UAS operator was flying a little low, nailing a UAS with a shotgun is not as easy as it sounds.

Not saying it's right but when I fly over private property I tend to stay above a healthy altitude.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Been waterfowl hunting my whole life and guys either a good shot or UAS operator was flying a little low, nailing a UAS with a shotgun is not as easy as it sounds.

Not saying it's right but when I fly over private property I tend to stay above a healthy altitude.

Probable any shot load would damage a prop enough to bring one down from 400'.
We used #4 for duck, #2 for geese when young out hunting with father, geese fly very high.
BB, SG for closer would do some real damage at any range, of course it would be sparser at 400'.
Either way, luck or skill, he got it, and probably regrets it now.

 

[ChrisOutdoors]

Probable any shot load would damage a prop enough to bring one down from 400'.
We used #4 for duck, #2 for geese when young out hunting with father, geese fly very high.
BB, SG for closer would do some real damage at any range, of course it would be sparser at 400'.
Either way, luck or skill, he got it, and probably regrets it now.

You were likely shooting at waterfowl < 100' in altitude. You can probably get lucky and drop a stationary UAS up to 150' but higher is a lucky shot; if it's moving at 200' forget it you wont hit it.

 

[sar104]

You were likely shooting at waterfowl < 100' in altitude. You can probably get lucky and drop a stationary UAS up to 150' but higher is a lucky shot; if it's moving at 200' forget it you wont hit it.

Is there a point to this debate? The subject admitted to shooting it down.

 

[ChrisOutdoors]

Is there a point to this debate? The subject admitted to shooting it down.

It's campfire talk, relax fella. The point of the banter is if you're going to fly your UAS over private property outside of urban areas, you may be within your legal rights to do so but it's probably a best practice to fly with some altitude and to keep the UAS moving.

That way Bubba can't take an easy shot at your bird.

 

[dirkclod]

That way Bubba can't take an easy shot at your bird.

Please don’t characterize him as Bubba I resemble that. ?

 

[CactusJackSlade]

Been waterfowl hunting my whole life and guys either a good shot or UAS operator was flying a little low, nailing a UAS with a shotgun is not as easy as it sounds.

Not saying it's right but when I fly over private property I tend to stay above a healthy altitude.

Curious, what is a healthy altitude?

 

[gnirtS]

Laws aside (he broke the law) i think generally if you're near someone elses properly with a drone and close enough for it to be hit with rocks or a shotgun, you're too close.

 

[ChrisOutdoors]

Curious, what is a healthy altitude?

200'+

 

[JAW]

Several years ago a local man shot down a drone the man claimed was spying on his swimming pool. The man was arrested, charged with 2 criminal offenses and given a court date. For most people the story (media wise) ended there. The rest of the story, however, is the drone was actually over his neighbor's yard when shot down and not over the swimming pool-------it did crash land on the shooter's property. The pilot was eventually identified and admitted to flying the drone while looking for his dog who had gotten loose. The flight was well beyond VLOS. Eventually, about 18 months later, the charges were dropped and the drone owner was reimbursed the cost of a new Phantom.

There's always three sides to a story.

 

[Paul51]

I've been flying "high" (but legal) recently, and been surprised how quiet (silent) and almost invisible the mini is. In fact, most impressed.

 

[Cyber3xpert]

400' is my usual for flying. My MP is pretty quiet from up there, even without the noise-reducing props.

 

[LazerMan]

Been waterfowl hunting my whole life and guys either a good shot or UAS operator was flying a little low, nailing a UAS with a shotgun is not as easy as it sounds.

Not saying it's right but when I fly over private property I tend to stay above a healthy altitude.

I'm curious how far can a shot gun take down a drone? is 200 ft high enough or is more needed.

 

[dirkclod]

I think a goose gun could take you out at 200’ if you was in a hover if a pellet by chance hit a prop.

 

[Motorcycle Rider]

I'm curious how far can a shot gun take down a drone? is 200 ft high enough or is more needed.

As a shooter myself, the odds are against hitting it at 200 or more feet. But if hit, yes it would have a good chance of bringing it down. Shot guns are not about accuracy or distance.

 

[Davros007]

Several years ago a local man shot down a drone the man claimed was spying on his swimming pool. The man was arrested, charged with 2 criminal offenses and given a court date. For most people the story (media wise) ended there. The rest of the story, however, is the drone was actually over his neighbor's yard when shot down and not over the swimming pool-------it did crash land on the shooter's property. The pilot was eventually identified and admitted to flying the drone while looking for his dog who had gotten loose. The flight was well beyond VLOS. Eventually, about 18 months later, the charges were dropped and the drone owner was reimbursed the cost of a new Phantom.

There's always three sides to a story.

Not sure I get it. What’s meant by it was over his yard? Ultralights fly over my yard... can I shoot them? Unless it was some place he owns airspace (I’m in Oz. Here, drone over private property is fine: other laws come into play if you violate privacy). Anyway, just say because violence and vandalism should never ever be excused just because you don’t like something, if what you don’t like is lawful.

 

[ChrisOutdoors]

I think a goose gun could take you out at 200’ if you was in a hover if a pellet by chance hit a prop.

Ethical shots for geese are 50' or less, you'll get lucky if you hit anything at 200', even a stationary UAS.