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FAA warns public against shooting guns at drones

jamesrage said:
Because the odds of you being hit by a bullet that was fired into the air is extremely low.
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Not low enough, as evidenced by the deaths.

In my neighborhood on New-Years and 4th of July my neighbors are shooting off their guns into the air as though ammo was free.But yet there are no deaths or injuries.
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Thankfully most gun owners aren't as stupid, not to mention that its illegal in many states as well.

The story is not people shooting into the air or people being irresponsible. Its about granting permits for people to shoot at drones, much like people are granted permits to hunt ducks and other animals. People shoot at ducks, heck some people shoot at clay pigeons, but yet there are not accidents from stray rounds.
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You hunt ducks with birdshot which lacks the ability to travel for long distances while retaining terminal energy.
 
Gonzo Rodeo said:
Unfortunately, there is no weapon system on the market that can take an amateur (or anything short of a stone cold trained sniper) and magically hit a moving target.... let alone one several thousand feet in the air... let alone one traveling in excess of 130 mph. And this is the super glaring hole in the plot - no responsible gun owner or sportsman (let alone anyone with enough training to take the shot and have a snowball's chance in hell of making it) is going to fire a rifle into the air.
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What if you caught a drone hovering over your private property or looking in your window? I'll bet even an amatuer could manage to hit it, then.

I abhor the entire idea of the government using drones to spy on US citizens...at least with police helicopters you can hear and see them coming and when you do you can later read about it in the news as to who and/or what they were going after. So if drones are being used then please at the very least let there be a law that they can't be armed...or used to physically attack anyone. But maybe there's such a law already and its buried in the agriculture bill.

I'd approve of shooting down drones if they're being abused by the government or even citizens for that matter. I think it's a total invasion of privacy.
 
jamesrage said:
Because the odds of you being hit by a bullet that was fired into the air is extremely low.

In my neighborhood on New-Years and 4th of July my neighbors are shooting off their guns into the air as though ammo was free. But yet there are no deaths or injuries.
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I think it might depend on population density. Urban vs rural.

"...Between the years 1985 and 1992, doctors at the King/Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, treated some 118 people for random falling-bullet injuries. Thirty-eight of them died....."
Celebratory gunfire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

We used to hear the guns go off all the time on New Years and thought it best to stay indoors during the midnight hour. A random bullet coming straight down into your skull just wasn't worth the risk.
 
For the average drone and the average person, I don't think there is a weapon available that will take down a drone. Most of them fly way too high for a rifle to hit them, or even for a person to see them.
 
I doubt there a need for these drones to fly low enough to be shot.

FWIW if they are low enough, a 10 ga. goose gun would work well.

Don't really need to shoot them down, just blind them. How about lasers? ;)
 
I'd be a lot more comfortable with the use of technology designed to render a drone either blind or some degree of inoperable.

That which comes up must come down, including bullets, so the idea of shooting at something flying by a residential area makes me very nervous.
 
Henry David said:
For the average drone and the average person, I don't think there is a weapon available that will take down a drone. Most of them fly way too high for a rifle to hit them, or even for a person to see them.
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I might decide to make a drone of my own. There might be a market. "A drone of your own." Spouse cheating? Save the cost of a detective. Buy a drone of your own. Did your dog run off? Find him in minutes with a drone of your own. Check up on your teenage kids with a drone of your own. FAA headaches galore.
 
humbolt said:
I might decide to make a drone of my own. There might be a market. "A drone of your own." Spouse cheating? Save the cost of a detective. Buy a drone of your own. Did your dog run off? Find him in minutes with a drone of your own. Check up on your teenage kids with a drone of your own. FAA headaches galore.
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Good morning, humbolt! :2wave:

Since you are contemplating making a drone, may I ask for a favor? Please also fashion a means for the drone to obliterate the weeds growing like a jungle in my garden! Believe me, there will be a ready market for that! It's just been too darn hot to handle it the old-fashioned way...pulling them by hand while cursing their existence, so anything you can do will be appreciated! :thanks: in advance. :lamo:
 
Moot said:
What if you caught a drone hovering over your private property or looking in your window? I'll bet even an amatuer could manage to hit it, then.

I abhor the entire idea of the government using drones to spy on US citizens...at least with police helicopters you can hear and see them coming and when you do you can later read about it in the news as to who and/or what they were going after. So if drones are being used then please at the very least let there be a law that they can't be armed...or used to physically attack anyone. But maybe there's such a law already and its buried in the agriculture bill.

I'd approve of shooting down drones if they're being abused by the government or even citizens for that matter. I think it's a total invasion of privacy.
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Drones don't hover.
 
humbolt said:
I might decide to make a drone of my own. There might be a market. "A drone of your own." Spouse cheating? Save the cost of a detective. Buy a drone of your own. Did your dog run off? Find him in minutes with a drone of your own. Check up on your teenage kids with a drone of your own. FAA headaches galore.
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Perhaps you could contact Richard Branson so that you could make some money with them. ;)
 
ttwtt78640 said:
Nope. Marijuana is legal in Colorado now, since it is no longer under direct federal control - Colorado is now sort of a tribal land thing, I think. ;)
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The feds are still busting medical cannabis sellers in California where it is legal, so they are pretty likely to go after cannabis for recreationa use in the newly legalized states to assert their authority.
 
Hard Truth said:
The feds are still busting medical cannabis sellers in California where it is legal, so they are pretty likely to go after cannabis for recreationa use in the newly legalized states to assert their authority.
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The feds are busting people who smoke pot on federal land where they have full jurisdiction. So be careful if you go on vacation or camping in national parks, on BLM or federal land because you could go home on probation.
 
jamesrage said:
I am all for shooting down the drones.The government has no business spying on the people and it should be costly to the government when they do something they shouldn't. This town has a population of nearly 550,so I do not see a shot drone crash landing into someone's home. Although I think if I was to do such a thing I would not get a permit.Because the permit holders will be the first people the feds will be checking.
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They would more likely be looking for people who have anti-aircraft guns. Drones fly at the same altitudes as conventional aircraft.
 
Predator drones and their offshoots fly at the same altitudes as conventional aircraft. Many others do not, and I'd wager that a good helping of 00 buck would be quite enough to disable them.
 
Morrigi said:
Predator drones and their offshoots fly at the same altitudes as conventional aircraft. Many others do not, and I'd wager that a good helping of 00 buck would be quite enough to disable them.
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It's also a good way to guarantee spending a third of your life in a federal prison.
 
Surtr said:
It's also a good way to guarantee spending a third of your life in a federal prison.
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Something tells me that the first guy who does it is going to be hailed as a hero in spite of what the government thinks. Then, of course, more people will do it. Tends to be how things work in situations like these.
 
Hard Truth said:
After thinking about it a bit more, I think a net made of clear nylon fishing line above your property might be the best way to catch a couple of drones.
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That I would like to see.
 
Binary_Digit said:
Deer Trail, CO. is considering an ordinance that would grant hunting licenses to shoot unmanned government drones. The FAA threatens criminal and civil liability for the hunters, as though they shot at a manned aircraft.

Deliberate destruction of government property, or righteous civil disobedience? Personally, I think the drones are unreasonable search because no warrant was issued, and unconstitutional laws should be disobeyed until repealed. But this has a public safety issue that sort-of muddys the water.

Article is here
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Not a good idea. What goes up, must come down.... bullets included. Hit it with a laser instead.
 
Morrigi said:
Something tells me that the first guy who does it is going to be hailed as a hero in spite of what the government thinks. Then, of course, more people will do it. Tends to be how things work in situations like these.
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A lot of dumbasses serving hard time are considered "heroes" by extremists.
 
humbolt said:
I might decide to make a drone of my own. There might be a market. "A drone of your own." Spouse cheating? Save the cost of a detective. Buy a drone of your own. Did your dog run off? Find him in minutes with a drone of your own. Check up on your teenage kids with a drone of your own. FAA headaches galore.
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Commercial drones would be too high to shoot down, but your DIY drone would be. All unmanned operations above 500ft(sic) require FAA approval. Either risk get shot down or get dinged by the FAA. Worse if you had a collision with another aircraft. Something operating out of controlled airspace.

I know you're only joking. I hope.

Source: Australian fullsize and RC pilot.
 
radcen said:
It's a trick. Kind of like sending people with warrants notices that they've won a prize. It puts you on "the list" for the next ATF raid.
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Yeah, but I'm thinking if one hundred to two hundred thousand or more folks applied it just might send a message to any law enforcement wanting to use the darn things.
 
clownboy said:
Yeah, but I'm thinking if one hundred to two hundred thousand or more folks applied it just might send a message to any law enforcement wanting to use the darn things.
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Yes, like "Here are insane criminals, with their names and addresses. Come arrest them."

I sometimes fly very small planes and I don't want one of these morons taking shots at me thinking I'm the FBI coming to steal their land. People like that are too cowardly to shoot at a plane they think has feds on it, but they just might be dumb enough to shoot at what they think is a drone.
 
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rathi said:
What goes up must come down, and that applies for bullets and the drone both. I'm all for protesting against the surveillance state, but not if it risks getting innocent people hurt.
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You use a shotgun in the same way you would shoot a bird or clay target. Nobody gets hurt.
 
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