My Mavic Was Shot Out of the Sky

[Lelantos]

in crisis situations : forest fire/brush fire, home fire, earthquake damage, car accidents, floods, etc., it is wise to not fly your drone over those situations.

Absolutely, but please note that he was flying many hours after the event was over.

 

[Hammer]

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.

Should also be charged with reckless and unlawful discharge of a dangerous weapon.

 

[Arbasd]

You can sue them in small claims court.

 

[Alex.ter]

When can you share the video? Would be fun to watch

 

[bleedgr33n]

When can you share the video? Would be fun to watch

Still working on getting ahold of the correct FAA office. Once I know it's not damaging to a possible case or a possible FAA investigation, I will post it. I promise, it's coming.

 

[Deleted member 21971]

My newest one is a Air Force Texan, It's a .45 cal. that blows a hole through a 4X4 at 60 yds.! Shooting a 350 grn. bullet. I killed a 200 lb. wild hog about a month ago. ONE shot! These rifles are PCP. "Pre Charged pneumatic". The tank on the rifle is filled to 3500 psi..

 

[bleedgr33n]

My newest one is a Air Force Texan, It's a .45 cal. that blows a hole through a 4X4 at 60 yds.! Shooting a 350 grn. bullet. I killed a 200 lb. wild hog about a month ago. ONE shot! These rifles are PCP. "Pre Charged pneumatic". The tank on the rifle is filled to 3500 psi..

That's insane, and absolutely awesome. Looks like I'm going shopping soon.

 

[Ziggy01]

My newest one is a Air Force Texan, It's a .45 cal. that blows a hole through a 4X4 at 60 yds.! Shooting a 350 grn. bullet. I killed a 200 lb. wild hog about a month ago. ONE shot! These rifles are PCP. "Pre Charged pneumatic". The tank on the rifle is filled to 3500 psi..

 

[newnan3]

My newest one is a Air Force Texan, It's a .45 cal. that blows a hole through a 4X4 at 60 yds.! Shooting a 350 grn. bullet. I killed a 200 lb. wild hog about a month ago. ONE shot! These rifles are PCP. "Pre Charged pneumatic". The tank on the rifle is filled to 3500 psi..

Was looking at one on amazon earlier. How do you fill up the tank?

 

[SkunkWerx's]

As the title says, someone shot down my Mavic. I was about 30ft away. It crashed onto their property, and after the walked it out to me. I immediately checked out the video and sure enough it appears he took it out with an air rifle (two props).

What should I do now? I've called local LE and am currently waiting a return call. I've contacted the FAA but their office is closed for the day. Will call again tomorrow.

What I need is assistance getting my flight log off my phone and also if it can be proven the reason it crashed was rotor speed suddenly having a problem.

What is your location ? ..... From what I understand , in the USA The FAA will treat it the same as shooting at a real Aircraft ..... I wouldn't want to be in this shooters shoes.... what an ***....... I Hope you get your justice !!!
Fly Safe_FlyFree

 

[Nikon1]

This will definitely be my Second "Watch Thread!"

Sorry you had all this stuff happen to you.

 

[smithlaw]

I appreciate that. That's a wicked kind offer. I will be exploring options tomorrow. I plan to contact the FAA and discuss their intent. If they basically say, yeah oh well, then I will possibly move towards legal action. My concern is not only with my Mavic, but the idea that it can be ok to take out someone else's property on a whim, because you don't like it. By taking it out of the sky in the way he did, he essentially turned it into a falling weapon. Had it fallen on someone, it could have seriously injured them. It could have fallen in traffic. I mean, it didn't, and that's great, this time. But if this is ok now, where is the line that makes it not ok?

The deputy that came to my house said he will be pursuing charges but there is a chance the local prosecutors office will decline to pursue the charges. If that happens, then well, that's it.

- Bleedgr33n - I am an attorney in SC. I do not practice "drone law" or anything like that, however, I fly a drone and practice the law

If the local prosecutors do nothing, then you certainly have a right to file a civil suit against him. My opinion is, even if the prosecutor does file a criminal suit, you should certainly file a civil one as well. The criminal suit will cause him to pay for his crime (jail, community service, etc). Civil will get you, the innocent party compensated for the harm he has caused.

 

[wtfd511]

100' AGL is not high considering law states a property owner has airspace rights 83' over the tallest structure on the property .

In United States v. Causby, SCOTUS ruled that landowners do have a right to prohibit use of airspace "that interferes with his right to light, air, view, or the safe and peaceful occupation and enjoyment of his land." That ruling and later regulations have evolved to a landowners right to "Usable Airspace", interpreted as equal to the highest object on the landowners property (including trees). The 83' thing is a common misconception, but 83' was only the height of the aircraft in question and was not part of the ruling in the case. Basically if you stay above the highest object under their control, you're good.

 

[Deleted member 21971]

Was looking at one on amazon earlier. How do you fill up the tank?

That can be a problem, depending on where you live, or cash flow. A scuba dive shop can fill it. It's best to have one of the large (80 cu. ft.) carbon fiber tanks like the fire dept. uses. They hold 4500 psi, and you fill your rifle from it. Or, like me, you buy a compressor that pumps up to 4500 lbs.. Don't make the mistake (like I did) and buy one of those "shoe box" compressors. Get an "AirTex".

 

[Deleted member 21971]

It looks like killing a wild hog saddened you. If you lived in Texas, these hogs are OUT OF CONTROL, and destroying farm land and crops. The state of TX just passed a bill that allows farmers to poison them. I have only 10 acres and had 15 hogs hiding out on it. After I shot that one, the rest moved on.

 

[newnan3]

It looks like killing a wild hog saddened you. If you lived in Texas, these hogs are OUT OF CONTROL, and destroying farm land and crops. The state of TX just passed a bill that allows farmers to poison them. I have only 10 acres and had 15 hogs hiding out on it. After I shot that one, the rest moved on.

Theyre an invasive species in GA and FL as well. Also they can get huge!

 

[erkme73]

Theyre an invasive species in GA and FL as well. Also they can get huge!

+100 in FL. These things have no fear, and will roam in a gated community. They can plow under hundreds of feet of expensive lawn in just a couple of hours. The resulting ruts look like someone with a jeep went mudding in your lawn.

 

[Lelantos]

That can be a problem, depending on where you live, or cash flow. A scuba dive shop can fill it. It's best to have one of the large (80 cu. ft.) carbon fiber tanks like the fire dept. uses. They hold 4500 psi, and you fill your rifle from it. Or, like me, you buy a compressor that pumps up to 4500 lbs.. Don't make the mistake (like I did) and buy one of those "shoe box" compressors. Get an "AirTex".

I use a hand pump to fill my .25 cal PCP. I get 16 shots (2 mags) per fill.

 

[Jimbo40]

Oh this is an air rifle thread? My mistake. For some reason I thought we were on that Mavic that got shot down.

 

[Deleted member 21971]

I use a hand pump to fill my .25 cal PCP. I get 16 shots (2 mags) per fill.

Yes, that's quite a few shots per fill. When the cal. goes up to .45 and larger, you get about 5 full power shots.
I'm 67, and I don't want to hand pump my rifle every 5 shots! LOL