So if you saw a drone with a camera in your backyard....

[TTQ B4U]

Would you do what this guy did?

 

Not sure in the burb's if I'd discharge even bird-shot, but I have a .22 cal pellet rifle that I could fire towards the field behind me and not worry if I missed. Although bird-shot is likely safer in reality.

 

Depending on how high it was I usually have a couple fishing rods in my garage I could likely get snagged up on it too and once I capture it, would it then be mine?

 

I like this guy a lot. Discuss.

 

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/kentucky-man-shoots-down-drone-hovering-over-his-backyard/ar-AAdGg2x?ocid=U220DHP

 

 

 

Kentucky man shoots down drone hovering over his backyard

 

William H. Merideth The way William Merideth sees it, it’s pretty clear-cut: a drone flying over his backyard was a well-defined invasion of privacy, analogous to a physical trespassing.

 

Not knowing who owned it, the Kentucky man took out his shotgun and fired three blasts of Number 8 birdshot to take the drone out.

 

"It was just right there," he told Ars. "It was hovering, I would never have shot it if it was flying. When he came down with a video camera right over my back deck, that's not going to work. I know they're neat little vehicles, but one of those uses shouldn’t be flying into people's yards and videotaping."

 

Minutes later, a car full of four men that he didn’t recognize rolled up, "looking for a fight."

 

"Are you the son of a b***h that shot my drone?" one said, according to Merideth.

 

His terse reply to the men, while wearing a 10mm Glock holstered on his hip: "If you cross that sidewalk onto my property, there’s going to be another shooting."

 

The men backed down, retreated to their car, and waited for the police to arrive.

 

"His only comment was that he hoped I had a big checkbook because his drone cost $1,800," Merideth added.

 

The Kentuckian was arrested Sunday evening in Hillview, Kentucky, just south of Louisville and charged with criminal mischief and wanton endangerment. He was released the following day. The Hillview Police Department did not immediately respond to Ars’ request for comment.

 

A measured approach?

 

The report of the downed drone comes a month after Ars reported on a similar incident in Modesto, California. But in that case, the drone operator was flying his drone over his parents’ farm, and it was shot down by a neighbor.

 

 

Here, Merideth, who operates a local trucking company, said that he had seen "two or three" different drones in his backyard previously over the last year and was disturbed by their presence. "What recourse do we have?" he asked.

 

The 43-year-old man claimed that law enforcement officials, including the county jailer, told him privately that they agreed with his actions. "The people that own the drones and the people that hate guns are the only ones that disagree with what I did," he said. "Now, if I’d have had a .22 rifle, I should have gone to jail for that. The diameter of those things are going to come down with enough force to hurt somebody. Number 8 birdshot is not. Number 8 is the size of a pinhead. The bottom line is that it's a right to privacy issue and defending my property issue. It would have been no different had he been standing in my backyard. As Americans, we have a right to defend our rights and property."

 

So what’s next in this bizarre tale?

 

"We have a lawyer and there's a court date and then there's going to be a hearing," Merideth said. "It's not going to stop with the two charges against me, which I'm confident that we'll get reduced or get dismissed completely."

 

And what would Merideth like to tell this errant drone operator when he meets him again?

 

"I would just like [him] to get some education on his toy and learn to respect the rights of the people," he said. "It's fine and dandy, and I think it's cool there's a camera on it, but just take it to a park or something—he's not a responsible drone owner."

[nurkvinny]

Good.

[iwashmycar]

x2.

[smokin5s]

I own several quadcopters... there are several things... I fly them in my back yard or the park by my work. my question is, was the drone not moving because he lost signal or was he actually trying to record? How high in the air was it? There's alot of things that could be the case... I would be pissed if someone shot mine down. They are alot of money and the non-GPS enabled ones wind can blow them out of signal range and you're just trying to get it back... If it was indeed an 1,800 dollar quadcopter than it was GPS enabled and they knew that they were doing.

 

That guy might want to be careful that they don't come back with something like this...

[BigOxley]

serious question: do you own the airspace above you're property?

[iwashmycar]

Public airspace is above 500 feet I believe

[LJ]

It really sounds like he has just been charged with shooting his gun where he isn't allowed to, which is a stupid thing to do.

[iwashmycar]

That is true...even if some dude were peering through his window...you cant just shoot him. In this case I think taking it out with a bat or something would be more fitting. If you can get it with that, its too close

[smokin5s]

The other thing to think about... they are typically powered by Li-Po batteries... you don't want to puncture them as that can make a big problem for you.. if you don't believe me, look it up on youtube.

[RyM3rC]

inb4 the feds come in and make an example out of him. Too bad really. I'd argue "Common sense" says he didn't do anything wrong.

 

I recall real estate classes teaching "you own the airspace over your property as high as you can reasonably use" but it's been a long time. That doesn't mean you get to shoot OMG GUNS!!! at anything in that airspace. Kneejerk reaction says he's going to have to prove the drone was dangerous and he was justified in using OMG DEADLY force on it.

 

I'll just leave this here... http://gizmodo.com/is-it-ok-to-shoot-down-your-neighbors-drone-1718055028

[El Karacho1647545492]

Here's the thing; I think drones are super fucking cool. It's basically a big boy toy and a lot of people (probably a vast majority) will use them as hobbyists do, just cruising around, maybe making some videos. My boss wants one to make cool wakeboarding videos. I'm 100% fine with that.

 

Then you have the nosy motherfuckers. The people who have to get their drone over wildfires to get sick footage and end up hampering rescue efforts, or people like this who have no qualms about flying one right into a neighbor's backyard. These people can't fathom that it's essentially the same as walking into their neighbors yard and just setting up a video camera, or flying an actual helicopter into their backyard. legally, it should be viewed as the same thing, but their thought is that the air is free space and "i ain't hurtin nobody."

 

It's stupid to shoot at anything unless you've got tons of space around your property, that's just unsafe and poor gun ownership, but that doesn't excuse poor drone ownership.

 

Really there's no good way to handle it. Both sides are at fault but IMO they need to come down hard on the drone operator. You have as much a right to swoop down low and video my home/property as you do to simply walk onto my property, which is fucking none.

[TTQ B4U]

inb4 the feds come in and make an example out of him. Too bad really. I'd argue "Common sense" says he didn't do anything wrong.

 

I recall real estate classes teaching "you own the airspace over your property as high as you can reasonably use" but it's been a long time. That doesn't mean you get to shoot OMG GUNS!!! at anything in that airspace. Kneejerk reaction says he's going to have to prove the drone was dangerous and he was justified in using OMG DEADLY force on it.

 

I'll just leave this here... http://gizmodo.com/is-it-ok-to-shoot-down-your-neighbors-drone-1718055028

 

Sounds like if this happens and someone accuses me of shooting a drone down that I'd await to see their evidence before I comment through my attorney as anytime a firearm is involved in the discussion, I'm not going to discuss much. Way too serious of a matter. Otherwise, I really wouldn't have anything to say or legal need to answer any questions.

 

If I lasso that mofo because it was trespassing on my property, I still am not going to give too many fucks about your lost toy. Again, produce some evidence that I personally took it, outside an accusation, and we'll see where it goes. Again, I'd direct you to my attorney though. Overall, have a nice day drone operators.

[Geeto67]

If you see a drone hovering over your backyard...you call the cops. That's it. Let them and the FAA deal with it.

 

If you are irresponsible enough to discharge a weapon in a residental area like that, my personal feeling is you are not responsible enough to own guns.

 

but fortunately I don't have to worry about it because frankly shooting down a drone is considered shooting down an aircraft and attached to that lovely infraction is time in federal pound you in the ass prison. Which you totally deserve:

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/gregorymcneal/2013/12/10/thankfully-shooting-down-a-drone-will-land-you-in-federal-prison/

 

 

"Drone" is a piss poor word for what we are talking about here anyway - these are hobby airplanes and quad copters with little cameras on them. They are not the giant preadator things the gubment flys (anybody see a predator drone in real life? it's bigger than a cessna 172). There have been cameras on r/c airplanes since there have been both cameras and R/C airplanes (government used them for gun training in the 1940s, civilian use started about the 1980s). The only thing that has changed is accessibility to the equipment.

 

there are probably going to be more laws coming soon about where you can fly or can't fly RC airplanes in relation to residential neighborhoods, which is kind of ok since that is how it is with gas powered larger RC craft, but really... if your first reaction to the neighborhood kid's quad-copter flying too close to your daughter's window is to grab your boom stick...seek professional psychiatric help.

[LJ]

If you see a drone hovering over your backyard...you call the cops. That's it. Let them and the FAA deal with it.

 

If you are irresponsible enough to discharge a weapon in a residental area like that, my personal feeling is you are not responsible enough to own guns.

 

but fortunately I don't have to worry about it because frankly shooting down a drone is considered shooting down an aircraft and attached to that lovely infraction is time in federal pound you in the ass prison. Which you totally deserve:

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/gregorymcneal/2013/12/10/thankfully-shooting-down-a-drone-will-land-you-in-federal-prison/

 

 

 

That only applies to gov't or commercial.

[TTQ B4U]

That is true...even if some dude were peering through his window...you cant just shoot him. In this case I think taking it out with a bat or something would be more fitting. If you can get it with that, its too close

 

I wouldn't expect you shoot a peeping Tom but if someone sets up a video camera and it's in my property space, on the ground or in a tree, I'm going to destroy that device and have very little fucks given.

 

If the owner wants to accuse me of something, that's completely fine, I don't have to prove I didn't do something. Have your people call my people when you feel you have something.

[jeffro]

If you see a drone hovering over your backyard...you call the cops. That's it. Let them and the FAA deal with it.

 

If you are irresponsible enough to discharge a weapon in a residental area like that, my personal feeling is you are not responsible enough to own guns.

 

 

 

"Drone" is a piss poor word for what we are talking about here anyway - these are hobby airplanes and quad copters with little cameras on them. They are not the giant preadator things the gubment flys (anybody see a predator drone in real life? it's bigger than a cessna 172). There have been cameras on r/c airplanes since there have been both cameras and R/C airplanes (government used them for gun training in the 1940s, civilian use started about the 1980s). The only thing that has changed is accessibility to the equipment.

 

there are probably going to be more laws coming soon about where you can fly or can't fly RC airplanes in relation to residential neighborhoods, which is kind of ok since that is how it is with gas powered larger RC craft, but really... if your first reaction to the neighborhood kid's quad-copter flying too close to your daughter's window is to grab your boom stick...seek professional psychiatric help.

 

+rep.

[LJ]

I wouldn't expect you shoot a peeping Tom but if someone sets up a video camera and it's in my property space, on the ground or in a tree, I'm going to destroy that device and have very little fucks given.

 

If the owner wants to accuse me of something, that's completely fine, I don't have to prove I didn't do something. Have your people call my people when you feel you have something.

 

Dude, you CANNOT discharge a weapon in a very populated area. He is comparing shooting it. No one said you can't chase the guy off with a bat, or take the camera and throw it away.

[EssFo]

Shoot them with this. http://www.thenetgunstore.com/

[TTQ B4U]

If you see a drone hovering over your backyard...you call the cops. That's it. Let them and the FAA deal with it.

 

Meh.....Completely see your point, but we all have been there done that in many cases where the cops and others don't do shit or what they do invoke is ineffective and wastes time. If a drone is hovering in my backyard and four fuck heads in a truck are piloting it and not my neighbors 15yr old or it's not my neighbor from within the area that I know then sorry but that bitch is coming down in a creative way.

 

If you are irresponsible enough to discharge a weapon in a residental area like that, my personal feeling is you are not responsible enough to own guns. if your first reaction to the neighborhood kid's quad-copter flying too close to your daughter's window is to grab your boom stick...seek professional psychiatric help.

 

I wouldn't fire a shotgun in Dublin, but I'm not sure where this guy lives. Could be someplace like Johnstown for all I know. However, no psychiatric help is needed for wanting to stop a peeping Tom.

[TTQ B4U]

Dude, you CANNOT discharge a weapon in a very populated area. He is comparing shooting it. No one said you can't chase the guy off with a bat, or take the camera and throw it away.

 

That's fair. Again, I wouldn't be shooting it with a shotgun.

[Geeto67]

You have as much a right to swoop down low and video my home/property as you do to simply walk onto my property, which is fucking none.

 

are you sure about that? because last I checked in order for you to restrict access to your property you need to actually post notice (no trespassing signs) and in some states restrict access (fences, gates, etc)

 

In other words, your mailman, solicitors, door to door sales men, etc....have every right to walk on to your property and ring your door bell and knock on your door if you haven't at very least put up the no trespassing signs. As far as walking into other areas of your property, that's a bit of a gray area - maybe they shouldn't be there but how are you going to prosecute if you haven't provided warning.

[JaronsToy]

Wow we just about had this happen a guy was flying over my next door neighbors house when his wife is laying out and he tracked him down and about beat his ass the police were called and everything

[Geeto67]

That only applies to gov't or commercial.

 

http://gizmodo.com/is-it-ok-to-shoot-down-your-neighbors-drone-1718055028

[Geeto67]

 

I wouldn't fire a shotgun in Dublin, but I'm not sure where this guy lives. Could be someplace like Johnstown for all I know. However, no psychiatric help is needed for wanting to stop a peeping Tom.

 

you are making a big leap from wanting to stop a peeping tom to irresponsibly discharging a firearm.

 

Of course you should be pissed about that, anybody would. If you find yourself grabbing your rifle or handgun and you live in anything that could be considered semi-residential, there is the line.

 

what's semi-residential? lets say your nearest neighbor is less than 2.5 miles from your property (or roughly the average greatest possible distance a high powered rifle round can travel).

[LJ]

http://gizmodo.com/is-it-ok-to-shoot-down-your-neighbors-drone-1718055028

 

The cases of people being charged are all commercial cases, and the others are all either discharging a firearm or destruction of property, which the FAA even says would be the case of taking down your neighbors drone, right in that article.