Would someone please settle this..can a landowner shoot down our drones or not?

[rydfree]

The real pity about this whole situation that does not get enough attention, to my way of thinking at least, is the fact that MOST of the people making decisions regarding drones or wanting to shoot them down claiming invasion of privacy concerns have little to no experience with drones in the first place. One local city councilwoman who voted to ban drones in her charming, little, perfect, upper-crust resort town was quoted in a local newspaper and scaring people with her stated belief that ALL of us are flying massive, can-do-everything 55lb drones in the air! Personally, I've never even seen a 55lb drone. I wanted to shake her by her narrow shoulders until her ridiculously expensive jewelry rattled and show her my innocent, little, sweet Mavic Pro.

Don't we WISH our consumer-level drones could behave in the manner and do the things that many of these people out there are afraid of and want protection from!! I mean, WE know the limitations of our drone cameras, but non-drone pilots have no idea whatsoever. If you wanted to fly discreetly high above someone to film them and be assured you are not being heard or seen while attempting to do so (i.e., spying on someone or attempting to secretly invade their privacy) then just how close up is your subject even going to be in your camera frame? And if you wanted to fly close enough to snatch some REAL close up shots or footage, your drone would be so conspicuous and obvious that even Stevie Wonder would know it's there.



My point is, once again Americans are making ill-informed decisions based upon ignorance and personal beliefs rather than knowledge and proof. Since the 1600s, Americans have enjoyed having a little witch burning every now and then. Right now one of those witches are drones.

All soft drinks are "Cokes" , all guns are "Assault Rifles" and "All drones are Spies in the sky". The general public will always lump things together by association , especially unknowing dimwitted politicians . We just have to be more careful with things like guns and drones to not get them outlawed out of existance.

 

[adiru]

All soft drinks are "Cokes" , all guns are "Assault Rifles" and "All drones are Spies in the sky". The general public will always lump things together by association , especially unknowing dimwitted politicians . We just have to be more careful with things like guns and drones to not get them outlawed out of existance.

It is turning out to be gun control vs drone control now

the irony

 

[Cyberpower678]

Say WHaaat ? LOL

While indeed it is hard to spot some days I can hear my Mavic easily at 400 feet even when it is 700 feet away over my friends house .

I really wish fliers would just use common sense and courtesy . Nobody wants a toy ,especially one that newbie pilots seem to be crashing and losing a lot , over their house ,family or car . Before the off the shelf drones came to be , nobody went flying their RC planes and helicopters over any ones property or people thousands of feet or miles away . In fact RC flying fields usually had strict rules about flying behind the flight line and outside immediate property borders . For decades there has been little issue with RC aircraft and now the drones that can basically fly themselves have pulled in a ton of inexperienced and arrogant people that think their toy is a real aircraft . Forget the legal definition or lack of and realize your drone IS A TOY . I love this hobby and have for many years but even I do not want just anyone flying over my property nor do I want someone running their RC truck across my yard or heli over my house . Can they shoot your toy drone down ? WHY **** YES . They may face consequences and so may you but in the end who is at fault ?

BTW years ago there was a ruling that stated a land owner owns 80' over the tallest structure on the property . I'm not sure that is still in effect but it made sense . If me and Bob lived side by side yet I had the city's permission to erect a 100' ham radio tower , then I would own 180' AGL and Bob would only own 80' AGL over his .

Please just use some sense and don't stop and hover over peoples property and fly higher than they would reasonably notice . Most of the people flying low and snooping or doing stupid stuff like flying near airports won't even be in the hobby after a few years . They will just have ruined it for the rest of us .

I either fly low when in LOS, or fly 400' when flyer farther. This hasn't caused any issues for me.

 

[Robbyg]

In my estimation, the FAA WILL have the final say, as it would be impossible to move forward.with the drone industry - and folks, drones are here and they're here to stay - with, as one thread poster described, a "mishmash" of rules and regulations that changes from town to town.

You wont be saying that if an airliner comes down due to a drone strike. Drones are now in uncharted waters. If they reach critical mass and appeal to enough people they will survive. If something should happen before that point, the small body of drone owners is not going to stop new laws from passing through the senate that will basically kill all drone flying except for probably commercial stuff and little toy drones without cameras and GPS.

Rob

 

[Robbyg]

Say WHaaat ? LOL

While indeed it is hard to spot some days I can hear my Mavic easily at 400 feet even when it is 700 feet away over my friends house ..

Hmm maybe its because I fly in an open area near the beach. My wife and I cannot hear it once it passes 150ft height and maybe 100 ft distant. Don't know. I will do another test this weekend.

Rob

 

[adiru]

You wont be saying that if an airliner comes down due to a drone strike. Drones are now in uncharted waters. If they reach critical mass and appeal to enough people they will survive. If something should happen before that point, the small body of drone owners is not going to stop new laws from passing through the senate that will basically kill all drone flying except for probably commercial stuff and little toy drones without cameras and GPS.

Rob

True,. but for a while, same was said about powerful laser pointers I remember. still no legislation to bane that yet.
btw , Lockheed Martin's Prepar3D doesn' thave a hobbiest license either, doesn't stopping folks from getting the acamedic, developer or pilot version of the simulator and flying PMDG 777 with itthough.
it though.

So worse case, people will all have it get a remote pilot license to fly a drone, not that much different than right now everyone need to register with FAA anyway for the mavic. its just a multiple choice test.
and silencers are illegal too, but hey get a lawyer to draft up a trust, pay the ATF a tax stamp, and you are good to go. as long as there is money to be made, it will find a way.

and really, at 400ft agl, five miles out, no drone is going to "bring down an airliner". Plus there is TCAS. and decision altitude is 200 feet or so, but by that point it is well within the one mile marker, if pilot sees a drone where it shouldn't be, he can just TOGA. imho windshear is more dangerous

my guess is out of self preservation the industry will self regulate. DJI is probably going to hardcode GPS geo into next versions of its drones soon.

 

[CC Rider]

You wont be saying that if an airliner comes down due to a drone strike. Drones are now in uncharted waters. If they reach critical mass and appeal to enough people they will survive. If something should happen before that point, the small body of drone owners is not going to stop new laws from passing through the senate that will basically kill all drone flying except for probably commercial stuff and little toy drones without cameras and GPS.

Rob

Without a doubt, any bad press about drones - and a drone-caused airliner crash would definitely fall into that category - is not good for the future of drones, which is why drone pilots should exercise control and follow all FAA regs and guidelines so that we stay off the public's radar. But what you mentioned is part of my point.

I believe we have already reached that point of drone saturation and mass appeal in the U.S. to where drones are viable. It's estimated that the public bought over a million drones this past holiday season, and many manufacturers still can't keep up with the demand. The point is debatable, but I personally believe drones are here to stay. Sure do hope I'm right.

 

[adiru]

Without a doubt, any bad press about drones - and a drone-caused airliner crash would definitely fall into that category - is not good for the future of drones, which is why drone pilots should exercise control and follow all FAA regs and guidelines so that we stay off the public's radar. But what you mentioned is part of my point.

I believe we have already reached that point of drone saturation and mass appeal in the U.S. to where drones are viable. It's estimated that the public bought over a million drones this past holiday season, and many manufacturers still can't keep up with the demand. The point is debatable, but I personally believe drones are here to stay. Sure do hope I'm right.

Drones are here to stay, don't worry guys.

I think we quickly reaching the point where anyone who really wanted a drone would have already gotten a drone.

 

[Felipe]

The laws are now very vague but using the old standard you can shoot down a drone that is flying 500ft or less over your property. The FAA has challenged that because a conflicting law says that the FAA has the right to govern all airspace from ground up. The FAA wants the legal limit to be changed but they have so far made no moves to do it.
So yes if someone shoots down a drone that is less than 500 ft over their property it is legal.

Rob

That makes no sense at all! Someone can't shoot down a manned aircraft or Helo flying over their house. I am an FAA licensed pilot with an FAA register UAS, I can't imagine that it would be anymore legal to shoot down a drone that was simply flying over your house. I lived for a while where crop-dusters would fly over peoples houses at 150 feet or less, nobody shooting at them, although at 5am there were times.....

 

[joet]

Usually but not in all cases. See my post above. If a drone was being used to look into your fenced in backyard windows (I'm trying to show expectation of privacy) then you would be able to swat the drone, with let's say a towel, and knock it down. As long as the it was shown that the drone was being used to cause you harm (invasion of privacy would apply) than you have a right to stop that harm.

I'm being a little nit picky here as I think we are really talking about legal use of the drone. Just pointing this out as it goes along with my other post.

No. Your recourse is to call the police. If you beat up a peeping Tom, you are still guilty of assault.

 

[GreatScott]

Belihttps://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/328/256/case.html#260eve it or not, this all started (and was settled) with a farmer and chickens near an airport!

United States v. Causby 328 U.S. 256 (1946)

 

[pogopilot]

yes well said that is exactly what I do Adiru. To any neighbors, at 400 feet the MP sounds like a far away lawn trimmer.

True,. a pilot like that is more likely to get his tires slashed by the neighbors than his drone shot down.
best way to go about it is just takeoff vertically to 400 feet in your own airspace, then move around, do your thing, then land vertically from 400 feet in your own airspace. never fly too close nor too low, and all should be fine.

 

[pogopilot]

No. Your recourse is to call the police. If you beat up a peeping Tom, you are still guilty of assault.

Very succinctly said! I could not have said it better myself....well actually maybe I could have, but it would have taken me a really long time!

 

[Chris23]

I'm not sure there's any difference between shooting a drone vs. other aircraft.

Also, just because I don't like the kid riding his bike up and down the footpath doesn't give me the right to shoot at him.

 

[Robbyg]

That makes no sense at all! Someone can't shoot down a manned aircraft or Helo flying over their house. I am an FAA licensed pilot with an FAA register UAS, I can't imagine that it would be anymore legal to shoot down a drone that was simply flying over your house. I lived for a while where crop-dusters would fly over peoples houses at 150 feet or less, nobody shooting at them, although at 5am there were times.....

That would be attempted murder or most likely murder if you actually shot it down. A drone is destruction of property only. If said property is on the shooters property when it comes down then things get very complicated. All of this is pointless! It comes down to do you want to hire a lawyer, spend several thousand dollars on a court case that may go either way depending on the Judge that's presiding over the case.

 

[dewster]

A drone was shot down in Virginia. It was flown over Robert Duvall's residence. Here's the story:

Virginia woman shoots down drone near Robert Duvall's property


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[joet]

I'm not sure there's any difference between shooting a drone vs. other aircraft.

Also, just because I don't like the kid riding his bike up and down the footpath doesn't give me the right to shoot at him.

A more direct analogy is that if you have a hazardous condition on your property and an undisputed trespasser is injured, in many/most/all States, YOU are liable, even though they are trespassing. How much more, then, would you be liable for taking a shot at the person?

 

[adiru]

A more direct analogy is that if you have a hazardous condition on your property and an undisputed trespasser is injured, in many/most/all States, YOU are liable, even though they are trespassing. How much more, then, would you be liable for taking a shot at the person?

is drone getting shot down covered by DJI Care?

(assuming pieces are recovered)

 

[dewster]

The FAA classifies these drones as aircraft and make you register and mark them. I'm sure you can get Federal charges placed for downing an aircraft. Flip side may be that charges could be placed for reckless operation of an aircraft.


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[adiru]

The FAA classifies these drones as aircraft and make you register and mark them. I'm sure you can get Federal charges placed for downing an aircraft. Flip side may be that charges could be placed for reckless operation of an aircraft.


Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

A Mavic is not an aircraft.

Otherwise you'd go to prison for drinking while flying a Mavic.