Drones everywhere!

[atgcpaul]

Seems like unmanned drones (the small, personal types) are all over the news and appear to be everywhere. Was there some kind of technological advancement I missed that has made these so accessible to seemingly everyone in such a short amount of time?

[Hellrazor]

They came out with cheap versions. I had one buzz over the house a few weeks ago. At first I thought it was an ultra-light plane and then it was one of those 4 prop drones. You can buy a "decent" one with a stabilized camera for $1000-1400.

I would love to be able to use them for sporting clay practice..

[Stytooner]

They came out with cheap versions. I had one buzz over the house a few weeks ago. At first I thought it was an ultra-light plane and then it was one of those 4 prop drones. You can buy a "decent" one with a stabilized camera for $1000-1400.

I would love to be able to use them for sporting clay practice..

I don't live in the city limits. Drones in my airspace would be met by my drones. Can I help it if my smaller, faster drones that are launched from a barrel get tangled up in the same airspace? My airspace. We don't have an air traffic controller at my house.

[cwsmith]

Apparently so! I'm in the same boat, seems that one day not long ago it was just something to read about as experimental and now they're out there threatening privacy and air space.

I recall seeing a few models on the Radio Shack website last year. Best Buy even has them in their Ads. If you want to see what the availability is, just do a Google search... Amazon alone, lists almost 20 pages of drones and components.

While I think they're sorta cool, it appears that it doesn't take a sense of responsibility to purchase or use.

Tonight on CBS news, there was story about drones and the alarming amount of interference that their owners are causing. One brief video even showed a drone fitted with a hand gun. (Now doesn't that sound frightening all by itself?)

A couple of days ago, I read a story about a guy who shot one down that was hovering over his back yard. The owners of the drone showed up and there was a confrontation. The homeowner was arrested and charged and I guess he paid both a fine and for the drone. Not a lot of detail in the story, so not sure exactly whether the charges stemmed just from the shooting of the drone or the confrontation that took place as a result.

It's becoming a very strange world,

CWS

[woodturner]

You can buy a "decent" one with a stabilized camera for $1000-1400.

Or an OK import with a usable camera for under $50.

[woodturner]

Drones in my airspace would be met by my drones.

The guy who shot down a drone last week - and got arrested - prompted a discussion at work. Got the attorneys involved to share their view. Still not sure of the absolutes, but the conclusion was that a homeowner does not own the airspace over their home - so they have no right to disrupt a drone, aircraft, balloon, or anything else in their airspace. Makes sense if you thing about it - we have easements for utilities, etc. but easements are not required for aerial utilities, etc.

I think the FAA "owns" and controls the airspace, but I am not certain.

[Pappy]

If it has a camera attached and is flying over my yard I would interpret that as an invasion of privacy. Whether it is for someone's kicks or to see what is worth stealing, the thing better be gone before I can get my 20 ga out!

[leehljp]

I have been getting advertisements for camera drones for well over two years to three years. The Parrot Drone, controlled by either an android phone or iPhone was released in 2010 and news about that one made quite a few tech news reports. These were more limited range - maybe 100 yards or so. Those were about $200 - $300 IIRC.

Lately, I have seen mini camera drones running less than $100. I am not searching for them, but my RC sources email ads to me and so do companies like Sharper Image.

You guys have just not been observant that much for those things. AS to shooting them down - With the mayor living kati-corner to me and the police chief directly across the street, my in-town shooting is limited to a pellet gun! However, I do need to practice up on my boomerang throwing!

Air space is one thing, privacy is another. I would bet that privacy, especially from directly overhead will trump air space as it relates to drones. It won't take long for someone to develop a targeting radio interrupter. Or point a laser at the camera.

[capncarl]

I caught a spin off the thread when the guy got arrested for shooting the drone down where some guys are tired of their neighbor kids flying over their pool looking at their wives.... the short version is one of them is good at making potato guns and is making one that will shoot a bunch of monofilament fishing line near the drone so it will be sucked into the props an bring it down. Will it work? dont know, but do know that my trolling motor is good at finding fishing line in the lake. It might be as good of a market selling tater projectiles as it is drones!
capncarl

[Stytooner]

Or another drone interceptor. Hey, I f you can't beat em, join em.

[atgcpaul]

Maybe next year for Christmas, they'll be marketing EMP guns, or a drone-dome to make your property invisible or all drones will have some kind of do-not-fly-over list that they will have to abide by that homeowners can opt-in to.

[twistsol]

I believe the guy that shot down the drone was arrested for discharging a firearm within city limits. I wasn't aware that the case had been heard yet. I live in unincorporated Goodhue county so any drone above my property will face the same fate as squirrels, gophers, and mice.

[vaking]

The guy who shot down a drone last week - and got arrested - prompted a discussion at work. Got the attorneys involved to share their view. Still not sure of the absolutes, but the conclusion was that a homeowner does not own the airspace over their home - so they have no right to disrupt a drone, aircraft, balloon, or anything else in their airspace. Makes sense if you thing about it - we have easements for utilities, etc. but easements are not required for aerial utilities, etc.

I think the FAA "owns" and controls the airspace, but I am not certain.

I have read that FAA owns space above 500ft (in residential areas) and you own 400ft above your land. Drone can use space above 400 but below 500. Charges for shooting down the drone come from city ordinances about no shooting is allowed within city limits or something like that.

[Black wallnut]

Ban on politics is suspended as far as this topic as long as the discussion is kept civil.

If a drone was flying directly over my house and I could shoot at it with a shotgun with a sure result that all of the shot would land within my property lines then I would shot it down. I think my neighbors houses are a mite too close for anything else. What is interesting is that my neighbor's chicken killing dog may be shot by me should I catch it outside of his fenced yard even if it is within the city or on the public or even private right-of way. I'm positive that if a drone should fly over and I am not able to shoot it down while it is directly overhead, once it leaves my property it would be off limits. Unless the HOA that everyone else that lives on a street that borders my property give me license to protect their property from intrusion. I think laws covering drones should be equal to trespassing laws. For example private property requires prior written approval.

[TB Roye]

We had one flying over our and our neighbors back yards. one of the neighbors took it out with a strong stream of water from a nozzle. The promptly stomped on it and threw in the trash and the we all played dumb when to owner came looking it. Can't use a firearm in the city but my try a bow and arrow, the water worked fine just have to let it get low enough. One oz. on a fishing line might work also. Your over my back yard you are invading my privacy. A good pressure washer would work also. We also can't fly RC aircraft in the city even from a local so a drone should be under the same rules. Maybe equip you RC P51 with some kind of working weapon, and go after them that way. Out here the drones have been causing problem with the aircraft fight the wild fires.


Tom