Pet Rescue Drone Shot Down!

[mikemoose55]

Yes kind of saw that but you know how this goes. There are guys like you who do it by the book , spend the time and the money make the effort and play by the rules and then there are good intentioned parties and just throttle jockeys who bend and break the rules you signed up for.

It ISN'T FAIR but will always be a reality.

Look at it this way when all of the rest of us throttle jockeys. (like me) who fully intended to get a 107 but said screw it it is too darn hard and operationally stupid get wacked or grounded you will still be flying.

I am pretty confident I can pass a 107 test I put time and effort into tons of study and even spent $500.00 to take a 3 day class conducted by a well established FAA test facility early on just to get a jump start on the game.
As this evolved it has become in my mind so convoluted that I have lost just about all incentive to obtain the certification. While I fly 99% of the time "between the lines" I guess I am just disillusioned with the whole process.
You on the other hand (given your listed certifications) cause me to rethink my position and maybe rejoin the game.
mikemoose55

 

[Marko9219]

It was a shotgun so even though he was wrong to do it no one on the ground was in any danger.

You aren't too familiar with shotguns I'm assuming. I've shot trap, skeet and sporting clays for decades. I've hunted everything from doves to coyotes with a shotgun. I've had multiple shotguns for the past 50 years and shoot frequently. If you think nobody downrange is in danger, let's do this: you stand downrange from my 12 Guage, no safety glasses on and face me. Within pellet range. I'll drop a load of 6 shot into your eyes and face and let's see how your definition of "danger" changes instantly.

 

[rbhamilton]

I love my Mavic but for just a moment lets look at the "other side" to see what they are concerned about.

Yes every single street corner has 50 cameras and satellites can zoom in and read the time on your watch. But your creepy neighbor can't access that video feed. Your creepy neighbor CAN fly a drone over your back yard.

A few years ago in Phoenix my daughter told me she was doing some sunbathing (topless) in the back yard. An octocopter flew over the yard and stopped above her until she ran inside.

You can post 100 stories about drones saving puppies but it only takes one story about a pervert with a drone to tarnish the reputation of an entire hobby.

In this case the puppy rescue drone was clearly in the right and a lunatic with a gun is never going to be the solution. But you see a low flying drone and it's understandable if puppy rescue isn't the first thing you think of.

 

[Classic flyer]

While I am in no way defending the idiot with the gun, one has to ask, what do we think would happen? Literally 100% of the news stories are of privacy-invading drones. Even things that are provably NOT drones are reported as such. Police helicopters fly in close to follow a drone - whose pilot is actively trying to avoid the NYPD copter - and the drone pilot gets charged with harassing a helicopter...

At some point, after the public is drenched, marinated, and fermented in drone negativity, it is quite logical to expect them to react as this guy did.

And ultimately, it matters not how good, respectful, and law-abiding we all are with our equipment. The media will find (or create) the drama using a drifting shopping bag, if they have to.

Grab some popcorn, pull up a chair, and enjoy the propaganda show.

I blame this guy about as much as I'd blame my Rottie for eating the raw steak I left on the floor while I was at work...

I like the way you're thinking out of the box, however this person was wayyy off base...shooting at an aircraft is a federal offense and as we are required by law to register our drones with the FAA we should be afforded the same respect...jmo...be safe, fly smart

 

[Arkarian]

Long Island Man Arrested for Allegedly Shooting at Pet-Rescue Drone

Fox news reporting is irritating. They are reporting on a animal rescue drone being shot down and have all kinds of links to terrorists using drones. No wonder stupid people are paranoid.

 

[Arkarian]

I like the way you're thinking out of the box, however this person was wayyy off base...shooting at an aircraft is a federal offense and as we are required by law to register our drones with the FAA we should be afforded the same respect...jmo...be safe, fly smart

If I'm flying my drone at 100-200 feet or more the people look like ants. The drone is best for landscape photos. People are so paranoid. There is also no expectation of privacy from the air. That has already been dealt with in court.

 

[Thomas B]

A little tangential, and I do own guns, but most places there are also laws about discharging a firearm inside city limits and across roadways. The shooting down of the rescue drone was almost certainly also a violation of criminal law and the court in reference apparently did not concern itself with that. Sad commentary on public perception of our hobby and points up the need for ambassadorship.

 

[Jim Padgett]

Then there is all the neighbors that have motion cameras mounted all over the exterior of their houses.

Around here, you can't take a leak in the woods without getting in front of a Game Cam.

 

[kydroneman]

it's one thing if you're just flying but trying to do a good deed and that happens, just terrible

 

[kamviclance]

Good and Bad news..... Apparently the puppy was found by another homeowner.
The dog was found wandering around in his backyard. On further investigation, the owner noticed the dog had a GPS tracker on his collar.
Feeling threatened by someone possibly spying on him (perhaps gathering surveillance coordinates for launching a drone strike on his house), he grabbed the dog...threw it into the air...and shot it down! Perfectly legal I guess according to the mentality of some comments I have read from the news article.

 

[Buckdashe]

Fox news reporting is irritating. They are reporting on a animal rescue drone being shot down and have all kinds of links to terrorists using drones. No wonder stupid people are paranoid.

I noticed that, too. Big link at the head of the story titled, “FBI Investigates Terrorists With Drones.”
It actually goes along with what rbhamilton’s post says about bad actors...one nimrod with a drone who has no respect for law and common sense, places us ALL in the same category of perverts and dumbasses.
Think about where you fly and always be nice. We are ambassadors for the hobby, profession and each other every time we fly. I’m fairly new at this but decided to practice this from day one.
BTW...couple of things wrong with the shotgun story:
1) If they didn’t know they were shot down and dint hear the gun, they were obviously BVLOS.
2) Dog search can’t be effective unless you go door to door. Been there, done that. There could have been notification of a drone being used in the search at that time. (Sounds like it was just an excuse to use a new toy, not an additional tool...IMHO.)
Hope they found the dog.

 

[LawFlyer]

...A few years ago in Phoenix my daughter told me she was doing some sunbathing (topless) in the back yard. An octocopter flew over the yard and stopped above her until she ran inside....

OK, so I was going to make a joke about how I live in Phoenix and was just curious about your daughter's address...but that's more inappropriate than it is funny.

Seriously though, here's the thing -- people in the United States really need to get over the "I am a precious snowflake" way of thinking (and I don't mean this in the political sense; I am a Democrat but I wasn't using the term in that sense).

From a very young age, Americans are taught to believe that America is the greatest country in the world, and that as citizens of this great country, we are somehow extra-super-special as individuals (like any one person is somehow directly responsible for America's greatness). It's like "Don't Mess With Texas", but bigger.

Based on this thinking, Americans tend to over-react (often dramatically) to even the smallest invasion of their special-ness. Road rage is a good example of this, but so is shooting down a drone. WTF? You flew within 5,000 feet of my castle? HOW DARE YOU! NOW YOU MUST DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Really -- if you want to lay out naked in your back yard, that's absolutely fine. I support everyone doing that. But people need to relax and not go instantly to Defcon-1 simply because someone might have gotten a glimpse of their back yard or, god forbid, their boobies. It's OK, honestly. No need to call 911. No need to reach for your shotgun. Sorry, your back yard and your boobies really are not THAT interesting. If you are seriously THAT terrified of anyone seeing your body, then just take a deep breath and cover up a little more.

If people could learn to relax a little more and not be so offended by the most minor invasions of their space, I think we'd all be a lot better off.

NOTE -- despite my criticisms, I do love America (and Americans), but I have spent lots of time in other countries (my wife is British) and it always amazes me how much more relaxed people are in other countries. It's just SO different.

If you go to the beach in France and elsewhere, people are running around naked, and it's just not a big deal. Here, the minute someone is naked it's like a national emergency. We need to learn to CHILL. As Americans, we only have ourselves to blame for being overly sensitive to small things that just aren't worthy of it.

Can't we all just get along? ;-)

 

[Fearless Flight]

I’m well a

You aren't too familiar with shotguns I'm assuming. I've shot trap, skeet and sporting clays for decades. I've hunted everything from doves to coyotes with a shotgun. I've had multiple shotguns for the past 50 years and shoot frequently. If you think nobody downrange is in danger, let's do this: you stand downrange from my 12 Guage, no safety glasses on and face me. Within pellet range. I'll drop a load of 6 shot into your eyes and face and let's see how your definition of "danger" changes instantly.

I’m 100% aware. You completely missed the point. Shooting a bullet or slug up at a drone in a populated area could kill someone because the projectile will eventually come down. It happens quite frequently on New Year’s Eve with people firing into the air.

Shooting up at a drone with a shotgun and having the buckshot come falling down is not going to kill someone.

Never assume.

 

[Marko9219]

I’m well a

I’m 100% aware. You completely missed the point. Shooting a bullet or slug up at a drone in a populated area could kill someone because the projectile will eventually come down. It happens quite frequently on New Year’s Eve with people firing into the air.

Shooting up at a drone with a shotgun and having the buckshot come falling down is not going to kill someone.

Never assume.

Just to remind you, you never once used the word "kill". You simply said "danger" and I stand by my contention that pellets from a shotgun, of ANY size, can be dangerous. Unless you consider eye injuries, or worse, non-dangerous. The word "danger" isn't simply about lethality.

 

[Wakamula]

America not the world. That’s not putting you guys down. I spend a lot of time in America and love it. In the UK I never have to worry about someone with a gun shooting my drone out of the sky.
In the USA I constantly have to compensate on that thought process.

What kind of a world do we live in where someone pops out of thier home wielding a shotgun and fires into the sky multiple times?

 

[Balushi]

Here is another news story about this. Throw the book at this guy, Not only for shooting the drone down but also for the danger to others. I knew of a lady that was killed about 15 years ago by some A$$ shooting his gun into the air. She was over 1/2 mile away.

Drone searching for missing dog is shot out of sky by New York man, police say

Pellet shot from a shotgun won’t hurt you when it rains down. It’s like having big grains of sand drop on top of you because it comes down No faster than terminal velocity and its weight is a few grains per Pellet. I’ve had thousands rain down on me Over my lifetime during duck/goose season it’s no big deal.

 

[Balushi]

I’m well a

I’m 100% aware. You completely missed the point. Shooting a bullet or slug up at a drone in a populated area could kill someone because the projectile will eventually come down. It happens quite frequently on New Year’s Eve with people firing into the air.

Shooting up at a drone with a shotgun and having the buckshot come falling down is not going to kill someone.

Never assume.

I’m well a

I’m 100% aware. You completely missed the point. Shooting a bullet or slug up at a drone in a populated area could kill someone because the projectile will eventually come down. It happens quite frequently on New Year’s Eve with people firing into the air.

Shooting up at a drone with a shotgun and having the buckshot come falling down is not going to kill someone.

Never assume.

If he was using a shotgun it’s most likely shot he had loaded not slugs. when you try to shoot something out of the air like a duck or a drone you don’t use slugs because it’s impossible to hit it. You use shot which is a bunch of small little pellets and little Pellets Raining down won’t hurt anyone.

 

[Bigbird48]

America not the world. That’s not putting you guys down. I spend a lot of time in America and love it. In the UK I never have to worry about someone with a gun shooting my drone out of the sky.
In the USA I constantly have to compensate on that thought process.

Right but in The UK you have to worry about the bad guy with a gun whos going to rob you, car jack you or just plain shoot you and you have no way to protect yourself from that happening.

 

[Bigbird48]

If he was using a shotgun it’s most likely shot he had loaded not slugs. when you try to shoot something out of the air like a duck or a drone you don’t use slugs because it’s impossible to hit it. You use shot which is a bunch of small little pellets and little Pellets Raining down won’t hurt anyone.

can you tell me whats the difference of shooting a shot gun loaded with 00 buck shot or shooting a 9mm up in the air both if that hit you in the head on the way down will kill you. If your drone is 200 feet up I don't think a shot gun loaded with bird shot is gonna get to you with enough force to down you a 100 feet up yea ok but 200 300 I don't think so.

 

[Fearless Flight]

Just to remind you, you never once used the word "kill". You simply said "danger" and I stand by my contention that pellets from a shotgun, of ANY size, can be dangerous. Unless you consider eye injuries, or worse, non-dangerous. The word "danger" isn't simply about lethality.

Yeah ok I forgot it’s the internet and no one can admit they were wrong. Anything can happen but let’s be real that danger is minuscule. I guess if you shoot a shotgun straight up in the air next to a bunch of people staring at the sky it could be dangerous. LOL