Drone goes over a guy's yard a few times, the final time he went in to get the shotgun. I agree with the guy's right to privacy and believe the FAA has established guidelines for these.
I think flying so low as to peek under a patio canopy is a problem.
http://time.com/3977166/drone-shooting-down-kentucky/
First, unless he used birdshot he could have killed some random person a few blocks away by firing into the air.
Next, destroying the drone for being over his property is pretty harsh. Was he sure it was looking at his property? If so, did he try signalling towards the camera for it to leave before destroying it?
What does he do if a neighbors' kids' toy ends up in his yard? What about pets? 
Note to self... use something that sounds less scary than "shotgun" when shooting drones out of the sky.
Paintball gun.
Tennis ball launcher.
Pitching machine.
Wet towel.
Fishing lure - I kind of like this one... something with a bunch of hooks and good clean cast. Very sporting to catch them.
I love the convergence of questionable drone use and questionable firearms use. It's simultaneous "this is why we can't have nice things!"
I think there is an invasion of privacy involved, which should not be allowed. I also think that depending on where he is, he could be in a ton of trouble for firing into the air like that.
Another point, is that by FAA they are considered aircraft and shooting down an any aircraft technically carries some pretty bad felony-type trouble.
Another case where the law really needs to catch up with modern realities. I think that a drone over private property under XXXft should be illegal without property owners consent. I also think that there might be something to registering drones and requiring something like tail numbers on them (some kind of ID so that people breaking the law with them can be pursued).
He used #8 bird shot. pretty small.
He claims the drone was trespassing.
Charges may be dropped.
I like idea of trying to wrangle one with a fishing lure.
Datsun1500 wrote: All of these methods can get you charged with a felony.
Now how do you think shooting a tennis ball launcher at a drone on your property would result in a felony charge? Not saying it's impossible, but I'm sure having a hard time coming up with a way for it to happen.
Datsun1500 wrote:Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Note to self... use something that sounds less scary than "shotgun" when shooting drones out of the sky. Paintball gun. Tennis ball launcher. Pitching machine. Wet towel. Fishing lure.All of these methods can get you charged with a felony.
What? No... I'm so sorry. Was just practicing casting. In my back yard. What was that thing even doing here? No one asked me if they could fly here - I totally didn't even see it. Total accident. Good thing we weren't shooting skeet or it could have been really damaged.
Plausible deniability. It's all in how you present yourself.
PHeller wrote: I like idea of trying to wrangle one with a fishing lure.
"I was just practicing my casting technique, and didn't see it flying over me." defense. 
Datsun1500 wrote: It does not matter how it's presented, you caused an aircraft to crash. That can carry heavy penalties. If you accidentally pointed a laser at a 747, do you think you'd get off?
Yes. Of the millions of kids who have pointed laser pointers at aircraft how many have been apprehended? Charged. Incarcerated? A couple maybe? In the whole history of lasers. Strawman argument anyway.
Do you really think if you accidentally flew your drone into trouble on my private skeet range that I would be the one getting in trouble? Good luck with that.
It's the same scenario as the Cessna pilot who hits a power line. Does the power company get a face full of E36 M3? Nope. Pilot error.
EDIT: Despite my taking glee at the sport of drone hunting... I kinda dig them. I assume you have some sort of drone business and following ... know lots about drones? The "How to buy a drone for fun and profit" thread would be swell.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Of the millions of kids who have pointed laser pointers at aircraft how many have been apprehended? Charged. Incarcerated? A couple maybe? In the whole history of lasers.
It's sad...those people are attempted mass murderers IMO.
In reply to Datsun1500:
Re-read edit above... it would make for interesting reading if you do happen to be in that line of work.
iceracer wrote: He claims the drone was trespassing.
An aircraft controls the airspace between the ground and itself. It cannot be trespassing until it touches down. And if it does touch down, hopefully you have the purple paint on your border every so-many feet, your "no trespassing" signs up, or your eight foot fences with barbed wire.
Datsun1500 wrote: It does not matter how it's presented, you caused an aircraft to crash. That can carry heavy penalties. If you accidentally pointed a laser at a 747, do you think you'd get off?
What about if I use my face to knock it down?
What charges are likely if someone buzzed his backyard with a 747 at 8 feet repeatedly? I think you are pointing out why there need to be some new regs and severe penalties for operating these "aircraft" within x feet of private property. I don't think anyone thinks it's reasonable to no longer be allowed outside because neighborhood kids could be using the airspace your face might try to occupy.
It would appear a real shiny happy person could simply hover his aircraft in front of someones door and keep them in their house indefinitely. If they open their door and knock down his aircraft, they are the felon, right? The operator has a right to that airspace from the end of the blades of grass on up, right? Can the local PD interfere with the flight and just hope the feds don't want to prosecute them for "downing an aircraft"?
Edit for another interesting scenario that will need to be addressed eventually: Drone flew through open door.
If it's classified as an aircraft, there are regulations about how close it can be operated to structures and the ground.
He should have simply grabbed the damn thing and brought it inside, like the car booting guy from a couple years ago.
Want it back? Come get it.
I'll add one more tidbit: I think flying these drones around is generally fine. I do think laws need to be drafted concerning line of site and set standoff distances from private property. I have no problem with drones flying over my neighborhood. I DO have a problem with drones entering airspace that allows lines of site not usually open to the public or interferes with otherwise legal uses of private property (skeet shooting range mentioned above for example). Specifically near the ground behind walls/fences and through windows etc. I guess what I'm saying is that minimum altitudes need to be set for these things.
Huh there's still money in drone photography? I tried to get into that in the early days (didn't really have the money) but now that everyone and their dog has one, you'd figure it would be a razor-margin business like motorcycle courier work.
WilD wrote: It would appear a real shiny happy person could simply hover his aircraft in front of someones door and keep them in their house indefinitely. If they open their door and knock down his aircraft, they are the felon, right? The operator has a right to that airspace from the end of the blades of grass on up, right? Can the local PD interfere with the flight and just hope the feds don't want to prosecute them for "downing an aircraft"? Edit for another interesting scenario that will need to be addressed eventually: Drone flew through open door.
Intent is an important part of charging someone with such a charge, and the PD is held to the same standards the public is when it comes to laws. I would love to see that scenario play out.
Also, it is perfectly legal to take out an aircraft that is attempting to cause harm to you. Just throwing that out there.
Sounds like you just need to get your own drone and when someone flies one on your property fly your drone over it and then abruptly land. If my drone is above yours and I own the airspace between my drone and the ground your drone is now interfering with that and not only is your drone now crashed but you committed a felony by interfering with my airspace.
In reply to N Sperlo:
Hahaha! It's comin' right at us!
They are currently writing legislation to allow first responders to disable/take down drones now. A couple times in recent history fire suppression aircraft have been grounded because some tool was using the airspace for his/her hobby drone.
Whether it be EMP, overriding controllers, or good old fashion weapons, Police and Fire need to be able to shut down drones that interfere with their safety.
And what if the drone can shoot back- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqHrTtvFFIs
Cone_Junkie wrote: Whether it be EMP, overriding controllers, or good old fashion weapons, Police and Fire need to be able to shut down drones that interfere with their safety.
https://youtu.be/zzTqjmp1yN0
Cone_Junkie wrote: Whether it be EMP, overriding controllers, or good old fashion weapons, Police need to be able to shut down drones that interfere with their laying a good private beat down on some stiffs.
FTFY
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