Man Shoots Down Drone Over Back Yard

[Real_PhillBert]

I thought about putting this in tech news but decided that it has more to do with privacy than actual tech news. 

 

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/07/kentucky-man-shoots-down-drone-hovering-over-his-backyard/

 

 

 

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 bitch 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.

 

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."

 

IMHO this case is interesting as he claims the drone was just hovering over his property recording, not just flying by. 

 

I can see both sides of this argument, destruction of someone else's property should not be taken lightly but at the same time I think you should be allowed some level of privacy on your own property. 

 

What are you guys' thoughts? When (if ever) is it ok to interfere with drones over your property?

[AlwaysFSX]

..well yeah don't fly your drone right in to someone's property..

[Guest]

If it was just flying past, or even flying over his house, then maybe his actions wouldn't be as justifiable; hovering over his back-garden though, recording, then i think he had every right to shoot it down. 

[Arcanekitten]

deploy a missle

[Real_PhillBert]

deploy a missle

 

I like your style 

[PineappleHolidays]

We all need AA canons in our back yards

[JustChilliing]

I like the idea of drones, but people need to understand that they can be dangerous. Loads of drone pilots complain about the altitude they are (or aren't) allowed to fly to, but a lot of serious cases - for example, near misses at airports - come into case becuase they endager the lives of people. Imagine if a larger drone was forced through an engine of a large aircraft.

 

Privacy is the same. You wouldn't drive your car into someone elses driveway, why would you fly a drone into their back yard?

 

Shooting it may have been a bit too far, but the pilot had no right to "record" without permission.

[Bananasplit_00]

you really shouldent film over someone elses property without there premission and knowing of it, but you should also not shoot someones drone down, i see both parts but if this was in a city enviroment both are wrong, you shouldent fly your drone there at all but you REALLY shouldent be shooting at a freaking drone either, if he missed that yould potentially hurt someone 

 

*edit*

it was probably not recording it was probably just FPV but thats almost as "bad", FPV is probabaly really fun but this was still wrong from both parts of the matter

[FTPCraft]

As long as you are by law not doing anything wrong i think it would be okay.

[Bananasplit_00]

I like the idea of drones, but people need to understand that they can be dangerous. Loads of drone pilots complain about the altitude they are (or aren't) allowed to fly to, but a lot of serious cases - for example, near misses at airports - come into case becuase they endager the lives of people. Imagine if a larger drone was forced through an engine of a large aircraft.

 

Privacy is the same. You wouldn't drive your car into someone elses driveway, why would you fly a drone into their back yard?

 

Shooting it may have been a bit too far, but the pilot had no right to "record" without permission.

probably was just FPV and not recording but we dont know that and seeing as it said recording it may have been both

[ELSknutson]

I would have shot it down. I fully agree with the guy. what if the guy was video taping his kids or wife though a window.

I would not have an issue if a drone flew over the top of my house and just kept going. I would think thats cool but as soon as that drone stops and enters into my privacy then I have a problem. Drones should be kept in public places and if not they should be restricted to certain hight requirements like 100 feet or more.

[Kyuubixchidori]

if your flying a RC, it should be done in someone's approved property. Im all for drones(which this isnt by the way, but I digress) and such, but there's no reason to fly into someone else's property. Even flying it in public is questionable, because then others are around that can get hurt. But I seen them flown in large empty fields at camp grounds and such, see thats fine, because its not someones private property. IHMO id be worried about a drone flying around me to, but should of tried to wave it off first before shooting.

 

 

if someone stumbles on your property, you try to communicate. not to just put rounds through them. 

[ELSknutson]

We all need AA canons in our back yards

Lol that Make me think of TF2 turret.

[Delusional Phil]

If it was in Shotgun range ... And if he has that good of an accuracy to hit the drone in 3 shots from a shotgun ... It should be not high from his house and probably not flying because he takes 3 shot to take it down instead of infinity if it was flying pass ... They should ask the neighbors to check if he did shoot 3 shots ... I must amitt , that's pretty damn impressive taking down a drone with a shotgun ...

[Slash003]

I'd have blasted it. If it was flying and passing by then no I would not but hovering well 

[Misanthrope]

Well gotta be honest: that looks almost exactly like the kind of guy who would do that....or:

 

@Trik'Stari

[ELSknutson]

I bet if it was George Clooneys Back yard and he shot it down I bet this would be all over the news and the people fling the drone would be getting sewed.

[Real_PhillBert]

If it was in Shotgun range ... And if he has that good of an accuracy to hit the drone in 3 shots from a shotgun ... It should be not high from his house and probably not flying because he takes 3 shot to take it down instead of infinity if it was flying pass ... They should ask the neighbors to check if he did shoot 3 shots ... I must amitt , that's pretty damn impressive taking down a drone with a shotgun ...

 

You're not a bird hunter are you? 

[Bsmith]

moght have been Trik'Stari

 

on topic:

would have done the same, but if the guy in the picture is teh guy that shot it, I mean 3 shotguns, isn't 1 enough?

[Real_PhillBert]

on topic:

would have done the same, but if the guy in the picture is teh guy that shot it, I mean 3 shotguns, isn't 1 enough?

 

Who do you think took the picture?

[as96]

He was right to shot it down.

[Bsmith]

Who do you think took the picture?

 

at source this stands under it,

 

William H. Merideth

 

So I guess he is that guy, but it could still be a stock photo or something from somewhere else, you never know with media though.

[Delusional Phil]

You're not a bird hunter are you? 

I thought you hunt birds with Riffles ? Not Shotgun ? 

[Real_PhillBert]

at source this stands under it,

 

So I guess he is that guy, but it could still be a stock photo or something from somewhere else, you never know with media though.

 

No, lol I am saying that there are multiple shotguns in the pic because there are very likely multiple people present. Not just the one guy. 

[Real_PhillBert]

I thought you hunt birds with Riffles ? Not Shotgun ? 

 

No, you never fire a rifle into the the air, that is extremely dangerous. Shotguns are used for birds.