My Mavic Was Shot Out of the Sky

[RavenTBK]

 

[bleedgr33n]

How did you get the drone back? Good video of that Hill Billy at the end.

He walked it out it out to me immediately after shooting it down.

 

[Dragonfly1]

UPDATE! Local sheriff just left my house. He viewed the video, took a copy, and he will be seeking malicious mischief and reckless endangerment charges. I was approximately 100ft AGL when he landed the first shot, iirc. My bother was also with me and is being treated as a witness. I will be contacting the local FAA office in the morning and seeking guidance on how to proceed.

This house has been a huge problem in my area for some time now. I sincerely hope there can be some prosecution happening. He fired multiple projectiles which is dangerous in and of itself, but also caused a risk of my Mavic coming down on nearby power lines, a road, or even people. Also, I don't know what condition the internals are in so I do not know if I should trust it to fly. So I'm currently out of a drone....

Anyway, I will not lose the video. It has been copied a few times already just in case. I will upload and share it soon, likely tomorrow after my chat with the FAA.

Lawsuit/settlement in exchange for dropped charges. Restitution and damages, including time spent, inconvenience, and the infamous "pain and suffering" to the extent it applies. I would roast his ***.

 

[Dragonfly1]

Can I replace it with an Inspire 2?

Also, I don't know how much money this guy has, which could be a problem.

Maybe he can sell his gun to help raise the funds.

 

[sprtbkrydr]

And others agree with sprtbkrydr.

This is a case where the OP was probably legally in the right but he's still out a Mavic Pro because he provoked a confrontation by invading someone's privacy.

What, exactly, was the point of the flight? To show that some dude was keeping his property in deplorable condition? What was accomplished by flying over the property for several minutes that couldn't have been accomplished in a few seconds? Fly over, get some video, maybe a still photo or two and be done with it.

Well put Mr.Salty

 

[Sisyphus]

Here's the thing - either our quadcopters are aircraft or they are not. The definition of "aircraft" in the FAA regs does include our quadcopters, and as such the FAA has jurisdiction to regulate use of them - other than recreational uses that are exempt under the Special Rule for Model Aircraft. "Model aircraft" are still considered aircraft; FAA is just precluded from regulating that particular use of qualifying aircraft.

Shooting at an aircraft is a crime. Unless the regulatory definition changes, our quads are aircraft. Helicopters are aircraft. The Cessna that flew over and photographed Chris Christie on the beach in New Jersey over the July 4th weekend is an aircraft. In all three cases, the aircraft can be operated at altitudes low enough and with optical systems sufficient to clearly observe and record activities and people on the surface.

As we've seen, the property at issue here was in the news on the day of this incident. Given the newsworthy fire on the property that morning, it would not have been at all implausible - and perhaps likely - that news aircraft might have overflown this property on the same day (perhaps hovering, in the case of a helicopter), and might have used cameras and lens systems (stabilized telephoto lenses) capable of as good or better resolution as the OP's Mavic. Perhaps they did. To be clear, all three of the aircraft types described here (Mavic, helicopter, and fixed-wing small airplane) could easily get similar video of the property from altitudes at which they might be reasonably operated.

Clearly, it would have been considered and pursued as a serious crime to shoot at two of these aircraft, yet all three are aircraft under the law, and all three could be accused of "violating privacy." Heck, Governor Christie might even claim that he had "a reasonable expectation of privacy" as he lounged on a beach that was closed to the public.

I'm not suggesting that it was wise to fly over this property as the OP did, and I leave the question of whether the flight actually constituted an invasion of privacy to others (and many have opined already in this thread).

My point is that our quadcopters are considered aircraft (and, for Part 107 operations, are regulated as aircraft). We must operate them as aircraft and are liable for prosecution if we violate regulations. Attempts to damage or destroy them should be handled similarly to such attempts against other aircraft.

 

[newnan3]

While our drones may be currently classified as aircraft expecting that they will receive the same protections as passenger aircraft is wishful at best and delusional at worst.

 

[pixeltim]

While our drones may be currently classified as aircraft expecting that they will receive the same protections as passenger aircraft is wishful at best and delusional at worst.

We shouldn't expect them the be treated the same. We are allowed to fly in places and altitudes that would get a pilot in an aircraft in serious trouble. We need to respect the rights and feelings of those we are flying near or over. If we fail to do that and simply fly where we want, when we want and shake our fist that WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO IT, then soon enough, people will get sick of it and change the laws in ways that we will not be happy with.

We need to be respectful and tread lightly. This is the only way our hobby (or profession) will be accepted and allowed to grow.

 

[theAlexanderGraham]

While our drones may be currently classified as aircraft expecting that they will receive the same protections as passenger aircraft is wishful at best and delusional at worst.

Well spoken. I don't believe there's a member of the non-drone owning public that would consider this situation any way similar to pulling out a rifle and firing at a news helicopter or 767.

 

[Mr. Salty]

Lawsuit/settlement in exchange for dropped charges. Restitution and damages, including time spent, inconvenience, and the infamous "pain and suffering" to the extent it applies. I would roast his ***.

Does the guy look like he has the money to pay out any kind of settlement? You can't get blood from a stone. He would likely happily take some jail time.

 

[rstekeur]

Does the guy look like he has the money to pay out any kind of settlement? You can't get blood from a stone. He would likely happily take some jail time.

Looking at that place he'd be lucky to have indoor plumbing.

 

[pixeltim]

Looking at that place he'd be lucky to have indoor plumbing.

View attachment 16645

Or teeth...

 

[kodiak1120]

Sorry if this was covered previously, but what exactly did he say when he handed you back the drone? What do you say? I'm really interested to know what the exchange was like.

 

[MisterMavic]

Not sure what you expect to get from this guy he clearly has nothing. Be a man and take responsibility for you irresponsible flying and let it go as a lesson learned. Was he wrong....yes as were you.

 

[bleedgr33n]

Not sure what you expect to get from this guy he clearly has nothing. Be a man and take responsibility for you irresponsible flying and let it go as a lesson learned. Was he wrong....yes as were you.

Isn’t your opinion cute. [emoji847]

 

[bleedgr33n]

Sorry if this was covered previously, but what exactly did he say when he handed you back the drone? What do you say? I'm really interested to know what the exchange was like.

I was pretty shocked he decided to walk it out. I was just across the street and he walked out looking for a possible owner. He asked if it was mine, I said yes and asked what he shot it down with, and he said “I didn’t, it just fell” then turned to walk back in the fence.

That was it.

 

[sprtbkrydr]

I think you hit a power line myself. Or a coax/tv cable hanging low.

 

[AyeYo]

You can bet that if you were hovering 30ft over my property for multiple minutes I'd shoot your Mavic down also. Play stupid games and win stupid prizes.

 

[Stuart Wood]

Not sure what you expect to get from this guy he clearly has nothing. Be a man and take responsibility for you irresponsible flying and let it go as a lesson learned. Was he wrong....yes as were you.

Not this again! And I am sure you take it like a man when you get a parking or speeding ticket, but there again you probably never make a mistake!

 

[Stuart Wood]

You can bet that if you were hovering 30ft over my property for multiple minutes I'd shoot your Mavic down also. Play stupid games and win stupid prizes.

I didn't realize so many perfect people fly UAV's, now there's a novelty! Seems like gun owners are very responsible people.