I had a nice flight yesterday with my M3. My close neighbor... and the manager of a very succcesful seafood restaurant in my town suggested I could fly over and make a nice video they could post online. I told him I could not do that for profit and would just do it for the fun of it...not being licensed. I flew the M3 over it in a usual manner..not too fancy ;-) But about 5 minutes someone with a rifle tired to shoot it down, shouting it was an invasion of his freedom. Of course I went into defensive flying mode and evaded his efforts. I am very  concerned that our country has come to this idiocy. How many of us can just sit aside and ignore this ridiculous attitude? Do my rights come after their rights? Your opinion?

Please tell me you reported the incident to the Police.    It's not exactly safe firing into the sky,  those rounds still have to land somewhere.  

Where I live it is illegal to discharge any firearm (including bb guns) within city limits, I think it is a Federal offense to shoot at or shoot down any aircraft also, atleast according to the state officials where I live.One of my co-workers boy shot a drone down that was flying over his property and it ended up being a city owned drone surveying an irrigation ditch or something .He talked them into  just letting him  pay  a fine ($1500)  and repairing the drone which cost him another $2500. They told him it was a Federal offense to shoot at or shoot down ANY aircraft. So they said anyways

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the agency of the US Department of Transportation responsible for regulating and overseeing all matters related to civil aviation within the country.

According to the FAA, any unmanned aircraft, regardless of how big or small it is, is covered under Title 18 of US Code 32.

A drone is, by this very definition, an unmanned aircraft. So, shooting it down would be a violation of US Code 32 and the offender could spend a considerable portion of their life behind bars when convicted – up to 20 years!

What people tend to forget is they may own the property they’re standing on, but NOT the airspace above it.

Hopefully, you reported this to the police so they can "educate" this offender.

Drone forum folks love to tell themselves that it's a federal offence to shoot a drone.
But the FAA would laugh at you if you went to them about it.
I've never heard of any cases where it was dealt with as a federal offence.
It's a matter for local police with possible charges being damage to property (if it was shot) and/or firearms offences.

Labroides Posted at 3-3 04:33
Drone forum folks love to tell themselves that it's a federal offence to shoot a drone.
But the FAA would laugh at you if you went to them about it.
I've never heard of any cases where it was dealt with as a federal offence.

Yep and when the local police charge someone for it, Fox News comes along and sides with the shooter.

I wonder what his reaction would have been, had you happened to be filming with a Pocket2 (say) as you "invaded" his space. Would he have taken a pot-shot at you for invading his freedom?  Guy's certifiable. Report the incident to the police.

I have had threads from people saying they would do that if I would not fly elsewhere.
I think one of them was serious.
But all of them luckily calmed down after I explained what I was doing and that it was all legal (as opposed to what they were thinking of doing)

I fly in Arizona.  Honestly, it happens at least once a month.  I don't post about it because honestly these things upset me, but yes to answer @GaryDougs question, this is where we are at.  Too many idiots protecting airspace that is not theirs to protect.  On a commercial job I was threatened with a shotgun toting man, and I stopped the conversation and immediately called the sheriff.  He began apologizing profusely but I told him that we are past that now that a threat had been made.  It all turned out great, Sheriff came out and began the process of taking away his firearms....all of them.  If people want their rights, they had better not go around trying to erroneously "using" them.

Labroides Posted at 3-3 04:33
Drone forum folks love to tell themselves that it's a federal offence to shoot a drone.
But the FAA would laugh at you if you went to them about it.
I've never heard of any cases where it was dealt with as a federal offence.

@Labroides, I agree - a lot of forum participants do advise it is a federal offense.  I think what is missing is that the person making the complaint needs to have some resolve and legal representation to see it through.  For example,  if I lost an expensive commercial drone due to somebody shooting at it, I would have my attorney lobby the Federal Prosecutors office.  Once you take the time to show the value, the danger to the public, the lost revenue of that plus future jobs, and how it violates which exact federal laws, you are more likely to get the feds to take the case.  

If it sounds like you have to do their jobs for them, yeah....it is about like that.  You have to hand it to them then lobby them to take the case.  Justice is for the squeaky wheel.  

TonyPHX Posted at 3-3 07:11
I fly in Arizona.  Honestly, it happens at least once a month.  I don't post about it because honestly these things upset me, but yes to answer @GaryDougs question, this is where we are at.  Too many idiots protecting airspace that is not theirs to protect.  On a commercial job I was threatened with a shotgun toting man, and I stopped the conversation and immediately called the sheriff.  He began apologizing profusely but I told him that we are past that now that a threat had been made.  It all turned out great, Sheriff came out and began the process of taking away his firearms....all of them.  If people want their rights, they had better not go around trying to erroneously "using" them.

We have had a few in the last couple years in my area. I won't fly in a town tho, but I'm just a recreational flyer out west so i can be picky like that and I have other spots to fly (for now anyways) but I'm afraid the direction were going the situation is just going to escalate. When I was a kid laws were generally enforced and there was a respect for it but not anymore, at least not where I'm at. Everything is pretty much treated as "status quo" / to be expected. Even state agencies are reluctant to get involved in anything. If there is not a dollar in it for them they won't touch it without immense pressure.

People have been this way since the beginning. It just has not been directed at drone flyers until recently.

Mobilehomer Posted at 3-3 09:01
People have been this way since the beginning. It just has not been directed at drone flyers until recently.

Agreed.  I think you are right.

but the government has no problems with creating illegal laws and enforcing them against you as a felony.

does he shoot at the tourist planes that fly over him? it's the same "invasion of his freedom"!!!

DAFlys Posted at 3-3 05:50
Yep and when the local police charge someone for it, Fox News comes along and sides with the shooter.

Man, that's just plain ignorance.

GaryDoug

Well I'm sorry that happened to you but I would report him to the local authorities. They may find something else while talking to him. People that paranoid usually are for a reason. On the bright side you can now change your username to "Top Gun" for successfully evading unfriendly fire! Glad your ok and take care

Labroides Posted at 3-3 04:33
Drone forum folks love to tell themselves that it's a federal offence to shoot a drone.
But the FAA would laugh at you if you went to them about it.
I've never heard of any cases where it was dealt with as a federal offence.

As a retired lawyer I'm very familiar with 18 U.S. Code § 32 - Destruction of aircraft
(a) Whoever willfully—
(1) sets fire to, damages, destroys, disables, or wrecks any aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States or any civil aircraft used, operated, or employed in interstate, overseas, or foreign air commerce;
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years or both.

If you doubt what the LAW states please see this:  https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/32
or this https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:18%20section:32%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section32)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true  

There are several cases where fines have been levied under 18 U.S.Code 32.  If you doubt this I invite you to do some due diligence on researching case laws and precedences.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 3-3 14:55
As a retired lawyer I'm very familiar with 18 U.S. Code § 32 - Destruction of aircraft
(a) Whoever willfully—
(1) sets fire to, damages, destroys, disables, or wrecks any aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States or any civil aircraft used, operated, or employed in interstate, overseas, or foreign air commerce;

There are several cases where fines have been levied under 18 U.S.Code 32.
I'd be very interested in any details.
Were the cases involving recreational size drones?
How much were the fines?

PixelPro Posted at 3-3 09:54
Man, that's just plain ignorance.

Yes. it's amazing what they will report.  

Blériot53 Posted at 3-3 05:59
I wonder what his reaction would have been, had you happened to be filming with a Pocket2 (say) as you "invaded" his space. Would he have taken a pot-shot at you for invading his freedom?  Guy's certifiable. Report the incident to the police.

Seems to happen here a lot with the likes of DJ Audits or PJ Audits on YouTube,   they like to make videos about industrial estates and the amount of time they stand on the pavement filming and the security comes out and threatens them or calls the police is amazing.

DAFlys Posted at 3-4 01:12
Seems to happen here a lot with the likes of DJ Audits or PJ Audits on YouTube,   they like to make videos about industrial estates and the amount of time they stand on the pavement filming and the security comes out and threatens them or calls the police is amazing.

I saw one of those a while back.  They're just asking for trouble. No discretion at all. Idiots.

Blériot53 Posted at 3-4 01:17
I saw one of those a while back.  They're just asking for trouble. No discretion at all. Idiots.

Yes. But the amount of people that come out and tell them what they can and cant do and are completely wrong is amazing.  

DAFlys Posted at 3-4 01:29
Yes. But the amount of people that come out and tell them what they can and cant do and are completely wrong is amazing.

Isn't that often the case.

Blériot53 Posted at 3-4 01:36
Isn't that often the case.

Personally I try to fit by stealth to avoid any issues like being to obvious.  

DAFlys Posted at 3-4 01:46
Personally I try to fit by stealth to avoid any issues like being to obvious.

Ninja skills required

Blériot53 Posted at 3-4 01:17
I saw one of those a while back.  They're just asking for trouble. No discretion at all. Idiots.

no disrespect but theyre doing it for you; so you wont have to face the unbelievable amount of ignorance and stupidity among the people about drones.

The Saint Posted at 3-4 07:57
no disrespect but theyre doing it for you; so you wont have to face the unbelievable amount of ignorance and stupidity among the people about drones.

I rather think they're doing more harm than good. Provocation does little to pour oil on troubled waters, alas.

Blériot53 Posted at 3-4 08:30
I rather think they're doing more harm than good. Provocation does little to pour oil on troubled waters, alas.

see video below and just to stay on topic, drone activism is the only way to address the issues of the public shooting a drones.

The Saint Posted at 3-4 08:57
and just to stay on topic, drone activism is the only way to address the issues of the public shooting a drones.
https://youtu.be/vmC0Ml2MguU

Yes I've already seen it.

The Saint Posted at 3-4 07:57
no disrespect but theyre doing it for you; so you wont have to face the unbelievable amount of ignorance and stupidity among the people about drones.

With respect, I think the UK 'auditors' are just doing it to be poop-stirring retentive-orifices who just like aggravating people, they cause more harm than good. I very much doubt the average drone pilot in the UK would consider that these 'auditors' are doing the average drone pilot a favour.
Personally I can't see the point in overflying a factory or factory yard or police station/yard where you may be flying over people or property that could be hurt or damaged if their drone had a malfunction or bird strike etc..
I doubt it would be difficult for the CAA to introduce permanent NFZ for drones over such area's

By the law the person shooting at the drone is liable if you are not invading their privacy.

Just wait for those shooting karens to realize they can get your location from 2.7Km (my current detection record with a Galaxy Tab A7) by just downloading DroneScanner on their smartphone.

Everything works as planned, overregulation will kill the hobby or else, ad nauseam confrontations with karens will do, so <120m is free of hobbyist and all the corps can make their money safely.

Of course, for the few harcore left, no regulation, fine or karen will ever get us out of the hobby, but the vast majority of potential hobbyst wont be eager to deal with the problems and will find another hobby, so we'll just grey out eventually.

Huginn Kenningar Posted at 3-7 04:06
Just wait for those shooting karens to realize they can get your location from 2.7Km (my current detection record with a Galaxy Tab A7) by just downloading DroneScanner on their smartphone.

Everything works as planned, overregulation will kill the hobby or else, ad nauseam confrontations with karens will do, so

Your extreme pessimisim isn't justified.

Huginn Kenningar Posted at 3-7 04:06
Just wait for those shooting karens to realize they can get your location from 2.7Km (my current detection record with a Galaxy Tab A7) by just downloading DroneScanner on their smartphone.

Everything works as planned, overregulation will kill the hobby or else, ad nauseam confrontations with karens will do, so

It's quite likely that the dude who tried to shoot this drone down with a gun would come to confront the drone operator with a baseball bat if he could locate the drone operator with an app on a smart phone. I respect the ideas of drone registration and remote id; but only to the authorities and not to just anyone; especially haters with an app on a phone.

Labroides Posted at 3-7 04:29
Your extreme pessimisim isn't justified.

Read the OP.

Mobilehomer Posted at 3-7 11:03
Read the OP.

I can't see the relevance.
The sky isn't falling and drone flying isn't doomed.

Labroides Posted at 3-7 12:47
I can't see the relevance.
The sky isn't falling and drone flying isn't doomed.

Really? He had a guy yell at him and shoot at his drone, and you don't see the relevance?

Monkey007 Posted at 3-7 10:34
It's quite likely that the dude who tried to shoot this drone down with a gun would come to confront the drone operator with a baseball bat if he could locate the drone operator with an app on a smart phone. I respect the ideas of drone registration and remote id; but only to the authorities and not to just anyone; especially haters with an app on a phone.

Can anyone point to a single incident where a “Hater” tracked down a drone operator through ID app and beat robbed or killed him/her , or is this going to be the latest urban myth in the saga of drone flying . I think we flatter ourselves thinking that non drone flyers are in the least bit interested in drone flying.

Hallmark007 Posted at 3-7 13:17
Can anyone point to a single incident where a “Hater” tracked down a drone operator through ID app and beat robbed or killed him/her , or is this going to be the latest urban myth in the saga of drone flying . I think we flatter ourselves thinking that non drone flyers are in the least bit interested in drone flying.

Just because it hasn't doesn't mean it won't. BUT!!! I don't think the Karens and Kens will even know about tracking software! So the likelihood of this type of confrontation is indeed small. Just as the odds of having an encounter with a mountain lion in LA are slim, be aware.