What happens to someone.... REALLY... if they shoot your drone down?

[scoobie77]

The threat to do something illegal to your property is all you have now. See if you can file a complaint about that threat so you can establish a record of it.

 

[JSKCKNIT]

This article popped up on my Google feed. Most we already know, but the attorney in the article does mention a good point of when someone may shoot down a drone (public safety).

Drones Will Be Shot Down Until These Misconceptions Are Tackled

 

[Live LA]

Has political correctness really gotten so bad that the person participating in a legal activity is the one who's supposed to kiss the *** of the nut-job neighbor and try to assuage his irrational paranoia?

Where does it end? If your neighbor told you he really hated the color of your house, would you paint or reside it just to keep the peace?

I also seriously doubt the cops are going to be angry with the OP for flying legally(assuming he's doing so). More likely they're going to have an issue with the person making baseless nuisance complaints, not the person the complaints are against.

Yess!!! Finally! Thank you! When does it end? “Sorry you feel that way sir, you do what you have to do and accept the consequences as will I”.

If you stand for nothing youll fall for anything

 

[ScubaBob]

It depends on what state you live in. Here in Utah it’s illegal to shoot a drone unless it’s an imminent threat to life and limb.

I’d frankly report this threat to the FAA and he might get a visit asking why he is threatening to shoot at an aircraft in their sky and if he has any connections to any terrorist organizations.

I would contact the police and ask whether "assault" charges can be brought against someone threatening you with destruction of your property. Assault does not mean that you hit or injure a person--it means you have threatened them whereas "battery" is when you actually hit them. I have heard of cases where someone threatened someone (assault) and the victim was able to get an injunction from the local judge to stop the threatening behavior. Maybe chat with a lawyer.

 

[Lapeer20m]

I have a neighbor that's really a piece of work.. I do believe I've mentioned my lovely neighbor on here before. I live in a rural area and I've been flying from my home around the neighborhood for the past year-and-a-half or better. I definitely do not loiter over anyone's property in fact I'm usually in full speed as I go over and I'm usually at least 300 feet. All my other surrounding neighbors are aware of what I do for a hobby and they're perfectly fine with it because they know I'm not some kind of a deviant trying to peer at their family. Last weekend I was actually up, flying up and down the roads out here trying to help my other neighbor find her dog I was actually flying at 150 ft that day because I wanted to be a little lower to try and spot her dog. Because he saw me FLYING DOWN THE ROAD in front of his house he called the law on me. as I was flying, a cop pulled up and parked in front of my house, got out and walked up to me and says well I guess you know why I'm here. And I replied no not really. That's when he informed me that the neighbor had called and told him I had been hovering low over his property looking in his windows... Haha.. I know! So any pilot that has flown over a day knows what it would take to get down low enough and look in someone's Windows with that drone. He could have knocked it out of the sky with a broom if I had been that low. I wrote a little in here last week about this incident,... so late yesterday evening almost dark I was flying and I Heard a Voice from over there saying "if you fly over my house again I'm going to shoot that down". Personally I don't even believe he could hit it, but let's say he did,... will they really hit him with a federal charge? because from what all I've read it's a federal issue to shoot down an aircraft of any kind including a drone. I've heard all kind of things from all kind of people but I'd like to get a informed response from actual drone Pilots .

The reality seems to be that generally nothing criminal happens when someone shoots down your drone but you have the option to sue them as a civil matter.

Good luck collecting on the judgement.

 

[skiptv]

I have a neighbor that's really a piece of work.. I do believe I've mentioned my lovely neighbor on here before. I live in a rural area and I've been flying from my home around the neighborhood for the past year-and-a-half or better. I definitely do not loiter over anyone's property in fact I'm usually in full speed as I go over and I'm usually at least 300 feet. All my other surrounding neighbors are aware of what I do for a hobby and they're perfectly fine with it because they know I'm not some kind of a deviant trying to peer at their family. Last weekend I was actually up, flying up and down the roads out here trying to help my other neighbor find her dog I was actually flying at 150 ft that day because I wanted to be a little lower to try and spot her dog. Because he saw me FLYING DOWN THE ROAD in front of his house he called the law on me. as I was flying, a cop pulled up and parked in front of my house, got out and walked up to me and says well I guess you know why I'm here. And I replied no not really. That's when he informed me that the neighbor had called and told him I had been hovering low over his property looking in his windows... Haha.. I know! So any pilot that has flown over a day knows what it would take to get down low enough and look in someone's Windows with that drone. He could have knocked it out of the sky with a broom if I had been that low. I wrote a little in here last week about this incident,... so late yesterday evening almost dark I was flying and I Heard a Voice from over there saying "if you fly over my house again I'm going to shoot that down". Personally I don't even believe he could hit it, but let's say he did,... will they really hit him with a federal charge? because from what all I've read it's a federal issue to shoot down an aircraft of any kind including a drone. I've heard all kind of things from all kind of people but I'd like to get a informed response from actual drone Pilots .

If you are a licensed pilot and your drone is registered and they shoot down your drone then the penalty won’t be much different if they shot at a plane. It’s a federal offense that you can report to the FAA. Homeland Security local police etc. flying over his house and property is not a crime. But you must obey local privacy laws, as an example don’t fly by his windows. As a general rule when flying over property I’m not hired to film I stay at 100 feet.

 

[ReadyKilowatt]

I prefer to take a more proactive approach. I think that you should take your drone AND a six pack down to his house. Offer him a beer and explain that you understand his concern, and would like the chance to show him that drones really aren't all that intrusive. Keep the camera pointed away from him and his house. Ask him if it would be ok for you to fly it, so that you can show him what the camera view looks like. Or maybe just show him some video that you have already taken, perhaps looking at your own house. I think that Hollywood has given many people a very false idea about the camera potential of drones. A multimillion dollar Predator might have a camera capable of zooming in on the hairs on a gnat's butt, but we know that the comercially available drones don't.Ask him if he is afraid every time that someone walks by his house with their cell phone out. A nice friendly conversation over a couple beers might be the best approach.

And I'd stress that he's just not that important. Not to you, not to anyone. Most of these people are so full of themselves that they can't believe that we're not obsessed with what's going on in their piddly little lives. Facebook figured out that there's billions of dollars to be made catering to these people who believe the world revolves around them. Businesses trying to sell them products do everything in their power to make them feel "special." Even modern religion tells everyone that they personally matter to the omnipotent God, creator of the universe. No wonder everyone's ego is supersized.

 

[Babaganoosh]

If you are a licensed pilot and your drone is registered and they shoot down your drone then the penalty won’t be much different if they shot at a plane. It’s a federal offense that you can report to the FAA. Homeland Security local police etc. flying over his house and property is not a crime. But you must obey local privacy laws, as an example don’t fly by his windows. As a general rule when flying over property I’m not hired to film I stay at 100 feet.

I know that that's how the law is written but there's no way they will treat the two situations the same if it made it's way to court.

 

[Babaganoosh]

And I'd stress that he's just not that important. Not to you, not to anyone. Most of these people are so full of themselves that they can't believe that we're not obsessed with what's going on in their piddly little lives. Facebook figured out that there's billions of dollars to be made catering to these people who believe the world revolves around them. Businesses trying to sell them products do everything in their power to make them feel "special." Even modern religion tells everyone that they personally matter to the omnipotent God, creator of the universe. No wonder everyone's ego is supersized.

It all started with the personal pan pizza!

 

[Awolfe57]

I think some people on the ground will always be suspicious. Given some of the out-of-control pilots that we have discussed here, that suspicion is warranted to a degree. I have people asking me questions almost every time I fly, but I do not have anyone threatening violence. I think that anyone threatening to use a gun (or actually using it) to control someone's lawful behavior is a serious problem. Avoiding the issue (and the gun owner) ignores threats of gun violence and supports that person's unlawful behavior. I think that it would be most effective to work with law enforcement to determine the best way to peacefully proceed; to include mediating a conversation with the pilot and the gun owner.

 

[geauxnola]

Call the cops on him. He made the threat of violence with a firearm.

 

[Joe Boudreault]

I would print out a copy of the FAA law and possible penalties and mail it to your neighbor. Maybe that would be enough to make him think twice about doing it.

This is how new laws and regulations get to come in place. I believe NOBODY has an inherent right to shoot anything out of the sky, bird OR drone. They should be charged if they do so. You need protection of that right to exercise your toys safely wherever, as long as you are not trespassing. Here in Canada, we have relatively free domain in flying drones, unlike your more populated USA. We don't even have to register them, just stay away from airports and private facilities. laws get made when stupid people overstep their parameters. My next-door neighbor loved it when i flew my drone over his house - but I asked him first. Then he wanted to see the neat video. He said that local hawks were a bigger problem...

 

[ReadyKilowatt]

This is how new laws and regulations get to come in place. I believe NOBODY has an inherent right to shoot anything out of the sky, bird OR drone. They should be charged if they do so. You need protection of that right to exercise your toys safely wherever, as long as you are not trespassing. Here in Canada, we have relatively free domain in flying drones, unlike your more populated USA. We don't even have to register them, just stay away from airports and private facilities. laws get made when stupid people overstep their parameters. My next-door neighbor loved it when i flew my drone over his house - but I asked him first. Then he wanted to see the neat video. He said that local hawks were a bigger problem...

Duck hunting?

 

[sergekouper]

I can’t believe what I am reading. Debating if it is legal or not to shoot a drone? Really?

 

[JDFMavic]

I have a LTC and a part 107 commercial drone license. If I were stupid enough to pull out my gun to shoot a drone out of the sky, there's no question that my license to carry would be revoked. Considering how difficult it was to actually get an LTC, that would be about the dumbest thing I could do. But what do I know I live in MA.

 

[77ricco]

Obviously you already have a hobby. Apparently your neighbour has just found his... Be carefull not to become his pet hate!

 

[noosaguy]

I reckon the old saying "Discretion is the better part of valour" applies in these instances.

 

[SMackC4]

I have a neighbor that's really a piece of work.. I do believe I've mentioned my lovely neighbor on here before. I live in a rural area and I've been flying from my home around the neighborhood for the past year-and-a-half or better. I definitely do not loiter over anyone's property in fact I'm usually in full speed as I go over and I'm usually at least 300 feet. All my other surrounding neighbors are aware of what I do for a hobby and they're perfectly fine with it because they know I'm not some kind of a deviant trying to peer at their family. Last weekend I was actually up, flying up and down the roads out here trying to help my other neighbor find her dog I was actually flying at 150 ft that day because I wanted to be a little lower to try and spot her dog. Because he saw me FLYING DOWN THE ROAD in front of his house he called the law on me. as I was flying, a cop pulled up and parked in front of my house, got out and walked up to me and says well I guess you know why I'm here. And I replied no not really. That's when he informed me that the neighbor had called and told him I had been hovering low over his property looking in his windows... Haha.. I know! So any pilot that has flown over a day knows what it would take to get down low enough and look in someone's Windows with that drone. He could have knocked it out of the sky with a broom if I had been that low. I wrote a little in here last week about this incident,... so late yesterday evening almost dark I was flying and I Heard a Voice from over there saying "if you fly over my house again I'm going to shoot that down". Personally I don't even believe he could hit it, but let's say he did,... will they really hit him with a federal charge? because from what all I've read it's a federal issue to shoot down an aircraft of any kind including a drone. I've heard all kind of things from all kind of people but I'd like to get a informed response from actual drone Pilots .

I'm in Australia, but assume most countries would have similar laws re shooting down aircraft (as in SEVERE PENATIES / LONG jail time!). Due to drones now being so common, I imagine (if they haven't already) the laws will be altered to say 'MANNED Aircraft'

Having said that, and not being familiar with your previous posts about the neighbour; would it REALLY make a difference to YOUR life, if say you (I don't know the size of your property) instead of flying directly from your take off point then across his property, you first flew say 100m towards your street, THEN headed off in your chosen direction? Some wars just aren't worth the stress they cause us (forget about his!); plus it would (or should) likewise eliminate the THREAT of him taking such action, and the very nasty consequences of that action. Peace of mind is very often worth deviating slightly from the 'who's right or wrong?' situation.

 

[Spotti2611]

I have a neighbor not that bad but always complaining. He called the police and said the same, that I was flying over his house and low around his windows. I told the cop that was BS and showed him my flight log for that time and date, which showed i was nowhere near his house. The cop went back to Mr complainypants and gave him a bollocking for making a false report threatened to charge him next time. He hasn't complained again

 

[noosaguy]

I'm in Australia, but assume most countries would have similar laws re shooting down aircraft (as in SEVERE PENATIES / LONG jail time!). Due to drones now being so common, I imagine (if they haven't already) the laws will be altered to say 'MANNED Aircraft'

Having said that, and not being familiar with your previous posts about the neighbour; would it REALLY make a difference to YOUR life, if say you (I don't know the size of your property) instead of flying directly from your take off point then across his property, you first flew say 100m towards your street, THEN headed off in your chosen direction? Some wars just aren't worth the stress they cause us (forget about his!); plus it would (or should) likewise eliminate the THREAT of him taking such action, and the very nasty consequences of that action. Peace of mind is very often worth deviating slightly from the 'who's right or wrong?' situation.

Yes, but then again Aussies aren't obsessed with firearms. Gun ownership is so low in Australia that this would rarely (if ever) be an issue.