Hobby UAV (Drones)

[iamwhatiseem]

Looks like it would be fun to do responsibly but not everyone is responsible. Sooner or later one will cause someone to crash their car or bike. The video of the one with a handgun mounted and working was an eye opener. Fly next to someone and take them out. Easy peasy.

The scary part is you do not have to have a huge amount of computer skills to do this.
Basically you would site the camera the same way to site a gun. Mount it, and move the gun till it shoots in the same spot as the cross hairs in the camera.

 

[MikeK]

Was recently reading some drone rules/regs somewhere and saw that they're restricted within five miles of an airport, which kills my interest as it would require a trip to ruralville to fly one. No idea if that's standard nationally or just some state/local restriction though.

It's an FAA regulation and it applies nationwide. But it applies to drones in the Hobby, Serious and Professional grades because of their size and expansive range capability. It doesn't apply to those in the Toy category.

But don't think you can't have a lot of fun with some Toy category drones. Some of them fly very nicely and produce relatively high quality videos. You can even fly them indoors (and drive your pets crazy). Anyone who might be interested in picking up a really good Toy grade drone is well-advised to check out the Syma x5c. It's available from Amazon for around $50. It's a good-looking drone and is a very stable flyer.

 

[MikeK]

I think they would make great target practice if I ever see one go over my property

Why?

If you see someone riding a bike past your property would you shoot him/her, too?

What are you so concerned about? Are you growing weed in your back-yard? If so the only drone you need to worry about will belong to the DEA (they do use them). If you shoot one of them down you'll be going to jail -- and you'll be forced to pay for it. (FYI, the drones they fly cost around $15,000.)

If a drone just flies by over your property, that's none of your business. But if a drone is hovering overhead you may rest assured the pilot is somewhere within 1/4 mile or less. So you probably can find him/her without too much trouble and ask why.

Bottom line is this technology is growing rapidly and drones will soon be a common sight. In fact the next one you see might belong to a neighbor.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I think they would make great target practice if I ever see one go over my property

Why?

If you see someone riding a bike past your property would you shoot him/her, too?

What are you so concerned about? Are you growing weed in your back-yard? If so the only drone you need to worry about will belong to the DEA (they do use them). If you shoot one of them down you'll be going to jail -- and you'll be forced to pay for it. (FYI, the drones they fly cost around $15,000.)

If a drone just flies past over your property, that's none of your business. But if a drone is hovering overhead you may rest assured the pilot is somewhere within 1/4 mile or less. So you probably can find him/her without too much trouble and ask why.

Bottom line is this technology is growing rapidly and drones will soon be a common sight. In fact the next one you see might belong to a neighbor.

If someone rode a bike, stopped, open my gates to my back yard and started shooting video of me - yes I might seek to harm them.
Your comparison is dumb.
I have a right to my own privacy on my own property. I have the right to not have someone recording me.
I guarantee you I will not hesitate to get a rifle out of my cabinet and shoot down a drone if it was flying around over my property. That is blatant trespassing.

 

[MikeK]

I've been flying RC Planes since 1979. Control-Line since 1968. My Father's been in the hobby since 1944.

These Quadcopters or "Drones" will be the death of this hobby unless we separate them out with their own little Sanctioning Body.

Quad and Drone guys have their own self centered and completely irresponsible attitude. They're even worse than the Helicopter guys.

There is some truth in what you've said, but overall you're a bit too critical.

The reason for the relatively irresponsible attitude of some drone pilots is their technology got off to a very quiet and inconspicuous start with a few fairly powerless, harmless little heli's which are suitable only for indoor flight -- and which describes my first one. But the popularity of these primitive Toy-grade UAVs exploded and several new Chinese industries began producing and exporting an increasing variety of progressively more powerful and air-worthy heli's, which soon evolved into the presently dominant and rapidly growing quadcopter hobby.

It happened so fast the concerned federal agencies didn't see it coming and the FAA is just beginning to impose regulations. But the industry is big enough to mount effective resistance to restrictions.

Another thing to consider is the fact that your hobby requires a lot of space for take-off and landing while the heli's and quads can be flown from a back-yard, a rooftop or an apartment-house balcony.

 

[MikeK]

If someone rode a bike, stopped, open my gates to my back yard and started shooting video of me - yes I might seek to harm them.
Your comparison is dumb.
I have a right to my own privacy on my own property. I have the right to not have someone recording me.
I guarantee you I will not hesitate to get a rifle out of my cabinet and shoot down a drone if it was flying around over my property. That is blatant trespassing.

I know better than to argue with you. But I can tell you in the way of caution that you won't be the first yokel to end up in jail for doing exactly what you are talking about. You do not own or lawfully control the airspace over your property anymore than you own or lawfully control the nearby public thoroughfare. Your reference to opening the gates to your back-yard does not apply to the air-space overhead.

So go ahead and shoot down somebody's drone. But you'd better hope the the pilot can't prove you did it -- or isn't big enough to beat the piss out of you. Because that has happened, too.

Just keep this simple rule in mind; you have no legal right to maliciously destroy private property.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I've been flying RC Planes since 1979. Control-Line since 1968. My Father's been in the hobby since 1944.

These Quadcopters or "Drones" will be the death of this hobby unless we separate them out with their own little Sanctioning Body.

Quad and Drone guys have their own self centered and completely irresponsible attitude. They're even worse than the Helicopter guys.

There is some truth in what you've said, but overall you're a bit too critical.

The reason for the relatively irresponsible attitude of some drone pilots is their technology got off to a very quiet and inconspicuous start with a few fairly powerless, harmless little heli's which are suitable only for indoor flight -- which describes my first one. But the popularity of these primitive Toy-grade UAVs exploded and several new Chinese industries began producing and exporting an increasing variety of progressively more powerful and air-worthy heli's, which soon evolved into the presently dominant and rapidly growing quadcopter hobby.

It happened so fast the concerned federal agencies didn't see it coming and the FAA is just beginning to impose regulations. But the industry is big enough to mount effective resistance to restrictions.

Another thing to consider is the fact that your hobby requires a lot of space for take-off and landing while the heli's and quads can be flown from a back-yard, a rooftop or an apartment-house balcony.

They need to be outlawed in populate areas.
I am thinking of my daughter as an example, all through school her and some friends would lay out in the sun in the back, people with swimming pools or hot tubs...especially hot tubs...sometimes a couple might be engaging in some activity -- IN PRIVATE.
And now you have to worry about some dumbass with a flying camera???

 

[MikeK]

The scary part is you do not have to have a huge amount of computer skills to do this.

Basically you would site the camera the same way to site a gun. Mount it, and move the gun till it shoots in the same spot as the cross hairs in the camera.

Check this out:

 

[iamwhatiseem]

The scary part is you do not have to have a huge amount of computer skills to do this.

Basically you would site the camera the same way to site a gun. Mount it, and move the gun till it shoots in the same spot as the cross hairs in the camera.

Check this out:

That is not cool. And I love guns.
I don't want flying guns either. Amazingly dangerous. "Oh shit - I pushed the wrong button!!..."

 

[MikeK]

They need to be outlawed in populate areas.

Actually, those restrictions are beginning to emerge as the FAA looks more closely at the situation. As mentioned earlier, the FAA is in conflict with a powerful emerging industry. As it is there are rules prohibiting the use of drones in urban areas, over highways, in most public parks, and the list is growing.

I am thinking of my daughter as an example, all through school her and some friends would lay out in the sun in the back, people with swimming pools or hot tubs...especially hot tubs...sometimes a couple might be engaging in some activity -- IN PRIVATE.

And now you have to worry about some dumbass with a flying camera???

Right now I'm sure the same rules apply as would apply in the example of a peeping tom. If the peeper has entered onto your property you can call the police and have him arrested. In some states you can effect a citizen arrest. And in Texas you probably can just shoot him. But if the peeper is a legal distance from you and is observing you with binoculars or a telescope, there is nothing you can do other than imposing a barrier.

This is informally referred to as the "Pull your shade down!" rule.

 

[MikeK]

That is not cool. And I love guns.

I don't want flying guns either. Amazingly dangerous. "Oh shit - I pushed the wrong button!!..."

I'll wager you would give a lot to own one of those flying machine guns. I don't think you would wish to harm anyone with it, but just to take it out to the desert and blow the hell out of a junk car.

Would I lose the bet?

 

[MikeK]

Addendum to concern about gun-equipped drones: This should not be a primary concern because it takes a lot of skill to build such a weapon.

It is much easier to equip a relatively ordinary Hobby-grade drone with the means to carry a two pound load and to release it by remote command. And a two-pound block of C-4 equipped with an impact detonator can do a hell of a lot of damage.

Add to that thought the very real fact that Amazon has already developed the means to use a drone to deliver up to twenty-pound packages from up to twenty miles distance.

The simple fact is there is no technological advancement which does not harbor the potential for destructive application. That reality began with the ability to create and make use of fire.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

That is not cool. And I love guns.

I don't want flying guns either. Amazingly dangerous. "Oh shit - I pushed the wrong button!!..."

I'll wager you would give a lot to own one of those flying machine guns. I don't think you would wish to harm anyone with it, but just to take it out to the desert and blow the hell out of a junk car.

Would I lose the bet?

You would.
I almost shot someone in the face when I was 17 by accident.
We were out hunting, ducks flew over and I was too intent on the ducks I ended up shooting the shotgun about a foot over the head of my friend standing a few feet away. I could have easily shot him and he would have never lived his life.
Accidents happen. I would not want to compound the chances, I believe greatly, by someone mistakenly pushing the wrong button. At least with a gun - it has only one "button". It would be too easy to do it accidentally.

 

[Mad Scientist]

Most of us have figured from the start that the Gov't via the FAA will regulate and restrict hobby use of drones to provide a clear airspace for Commercial Drones.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Most of us have figured from the start that the Gov't via the FAA will regulate and restrict hobby use of drones to provide a clear airspace for Commercial Drones.

You got that right.
Corporate interest over everything else.

 

[Iceweasel]

Addendum to concern about gun-equipped drones: This should not be a primary concern because it takes a lot of skill to build such a weapon.

It takes zero skills to buy one.

 

[Iceweasel]

If someone rode a bike, stopped, open my gates to my back yard and started shooting video of me - yes I might seek to harm them.
Your comparison is dumb.
I have a right to my own privacy on my own property. I have the right to not have someone recording me.
I guarantee you I will not hesitate to get a rifle out of my cabinet and shoot down a drone if it was flying around over my property. That is blatant trespassing.

I know better than to argue with you. But I can tell you in the way of caution that you won't be the first yokel to end up in jail for doing exactly what you are talking about. You do not own or lawfully control the airspace over your property anymore than you own or lawfully control the nearby public thoroughfare. Your reference to opening the gates to your back-yard does not apply to the air-space overhead.

So go ahead and shoot down somebody's drone. But you'd better hope the the pilot can't prove you did it -- or isn't big enough to beat the piss out of you. Because that has happened, too.

Just keep this simple rule in mind; you have no legal right to maliciously destroy private property.

If a tree branch is hanging over your property, it's yours. So your theory needs work.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

If someone rode a bike, stopped, open my gates to my back yard and started shooting video of me - yes I might seek to harm them.
Your comparison is dumb.
I have a right to my own privacy on my own property. I have the right to not have someone recording me.
I guarantee you I will not hesitate to get a rifle out of my cabinet and shoot down a drone if it was flying around over my property. That is blatant trespassing.

I know better than to argue with you. But I can tell you in the way of caution that you won't be the first yokel to end up in jail for doing exactly what you are talking about. You do not own or lawfully control the airspace over your property anymore than you own or lawfully control the nearby public thoroughfare. Your reference to opening the gates to your back-yard does not apply to the air-space overhead.

So go ahead and shoot down somebody's drone. But you'd better hope the the pilot can't prove you did it -- or isn't big enough to beat the piss out of you. Because that has happened, too.

Just keep this simple rule in mind; you have no legal right to maliciously destroy private property.

If a tree branch is hanging over your property, it's yours. So your theory needs work.

He doesn't get it.
Law or no law I would shoot it down without hesitation. And I would not be arrested for it. Hardest thing for me would be stopping the officers from stomping on the damn thing getting pieces all over the place.
We don't live in a liberal la la land here. I live where if you shoot someone trying to break in your house the cops will help you drag the body in your door step so you can claim self defense.

 

[charwin95]

I read this sometime last year. This man was arrested for shooting down drone.

Kentucky Man Shoots Down “Peeping Tom” Drone Over His House… | Weasel Zippers

 

[alpine]

How much would this cost me?