Hillview man arrested for shooting down drone; cites right to privacy

[IdaCat]

It wasn't long before the drone's owners appeared.

"Four guys came over to confront me about it, and I happened to be armed, so that changed their minds," Merideth said.

"They asked me, 'Are you the S-O-B that shot my drone?' and I said, 'Yes I am,'" he said. "I had my 40mm Glock on me and they started toward me and I told them, 'If you cross my sidewalk, there's gonna be another shooting.'"

A short time later, Merideth said the police arrived.

"You know, when you’re in your own property, within a six-foot privacy fence, you have the expectation of privacy," he said. "We don't know if he was looking at the girls. We don’t know if he was looking for something to steal. To me, it was the same as trespassing."

http://www.wdrb.com/story/29650818/...own-drone-cites-right-to-privacy#WNPoll147728

 

[jwheat]

I think he has a very valid point. Will be interesting to see where this goes.

 

[funKYcat75]

Should be an interesting precedent to set.

Hypothetical. If I got a long metal pole, attached a camera to it, and held it over my neighbor's fence, would they have a right to destroy it?

 

[BBdK]

Good for him, imo.

 

[KingOfBBN]

I agree with him and he has a point. Why exactly do those four guys need a drone in a residential area?

 

[jwheat]

To look at little girls obviously.

 

[domino79]

Down with drones.

 

[TexasTimCat]

I will do the same thing if someone parks one over my property...

 

[mashburned]

Kids gonna learn.

If this stuff gets a lot of media play, they'll use it to take people's guns and invade privacy even more. TS.

OH MY!!! WHAT IF THAT BULLET FELL ON SOMEONE??? AND WHAT IS HE HIDING IN HIS BACKYARD THAT IS SO SECRETIVE HUHMMM???? JOIN ME ONNMY PERISCOPE THIS SATIRDAY AS WE FLY OUR DRONES OVER TJ MAXX IN PROTEST OF DENYINF OUR RIGHTS!!!!

 

[DSmith21]

If you fly over a farm in a low flying private airplane, does the farmer have the right to shoot down your plane?

 

[argubs2]

Had to read the entire article because I knew there was no way he picked that thing out of the sky with a 40mm Glock. Would've been impressive, tho.

What happens when Amazon sends a drone to your house with your new blender and your neighbor doesn't take kindly to UFOs in his airspace?

Lots of key players in this drone game.

 

[TexasTimCat]

DS - just my opinion - but a plane does not hover - it moves on; there is a person onboard that could be harmed.

Not apples to apples.

Also - if it is a helicopter hovering I am calling the police to investigate.

An unmanned drone has no business hovering over my property.

 

[Big_Blue79]

Should be an interesting precedent to set.

Hypothetical. If I got a long metal pole, attached a camera to it, and held it over my neighbor's fence, would they have a right to destroy it?

In that instance, probably. What if the camera was in your yard and would have a FOV into your neighbor's yard? Pretty sure you don't have a right to privacy in that instance. IIRC (it's been a while), you don't have a right to privacy (at least in the 4th Amendment sense) to what cops can see in your yard.

Or what about if a neighbor just looks out his window into your yard?

 

[Big_Blue79]

DS - just my opinion - but a plane does not hover - it moves on; there is a person onboard that could be harmed.

Not apples to apples.

Also - if it is a helicopter hovering I am calling the police to investigate.

An unmanned drone has no business hovering over my property.

What about an unmanned drone over my property that has a FOV into your property? Do you then have a right to destroy my property because I might be able to see into your yard?

 

[jwheat]

FCC owns the air

 

[UKwizard]

If you fly over a farm in a low flying private airplane, does the farmer have the right to shoot down your plane?

Yes

 

[DSmith21]

Yes

According to this, property owners have no right to airspace once a vehicle is above 500 ft in most areas (1,000 ft in congested areas).

"In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has the sole authority to control all public airspace, exclusively determining the rules and requirements for its use. Public air space is classified as the 'navigable' airspace above 500 feet.[1] The general rule is that airplanes must fly high enough that, in the event of an engine failure, the pilot can land the plane without undue hazards to persons or property on the ground. The exact altitude requirements (except for purposes of takeoff and landing) are as follows. In congested areas, airplanes must stay 1,000 feet (300 m) higher than any obstacle (building, antenna, etc.) within a 2,000 feet (610 m) radius of the aircraft. In non congested, sparsely populated areas, or over bodies of water, the pilot must remain at least 500 feet (150 m) from any person, vehicle, vessel, or structure.[2] Private landowners retain their right to exclusive use of the airspace for the reasonable enjoyment of their property up to 500 feet above their lands.[3]

Specifically, the Federal Aviation Act provides that: "The United States Government has exclusive sovereignty of airspace of the United States."[4] The act defines navigable airspace as "airspace above the minimum altitudes of flight…including airspace needed to ensure the safety in the takeoff and landing of aircraft...."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_rights

 

[Hank Camacho]

Good for him, imo.

Yup.

 

[Kaizer Sosay]

Down with drones.

 

[ktbug]

You shoot up in the air, it has to come down somewhere. Hit it with a baseball.

 

[Free_Salato_Blue]

I doubt you're allowed to discharge a firearm in city limits.

If he spotted it 10 ft from the ground under a neighbors canopy. He should had shot a video of it, call the police and follow it back to the owners.
Then call the man and make some money on a harassment lawsuit.

Right now seems the drone operators have the edge since a property owner has no rights to shoot them down or jam the signals to disable them.
Bravo Mr. Merideth anyways, hope he come out on top of this issue.

Wonder if my Red Rider BB gun would be legal?

 

[crazyqx83_rivals88013]

Should be an interesting precedent to set.

Hypothetical. If I got a long metal pole, attached a camera to it, and held it over my neighbor's fence, would they have a right to destroy it?

Asking for a friend, amirite?

 

[kybobcat_rivals185207]

Paintball gun, FTW. :gun:

 

[Big_Blue79]

Interesting article on whether it's okay to shoot down a drone.

 

[JumperJack]

DS - just my opinion - but a plane does not hover - it moves on; there is a person onboard that could be harmed.

Not apples to apples.

Also - if it is a helicopter hovering I am calling the police to investigate.

An unmanned drone has no business hovering over my property.

^^^^

 

[wildcatadam6]

homeowner was in the right, imo. I'd do the same.

 

[JohnBlue]

He claims the drone was ten feet off the ground hoovering under his neighbors covered porch, to spy on them?? The drone was being operated illegally. There is no way a shotgun could have taken it down had it not been too close to the ground by law. The arrested the guy for shooting a gun in town. Should have arrested those operating the drone too.

 

[RacerX.ksr]

 

[IdaCat]

 

[P.PattersonISwalkingthruthatdoor]

"Yeah, and I hope it's really ____ing expensive!"

[banana]

 

[Ukbrassowtipin]

Then the question becomes, how far above your property do you own...to space? I agree with the guy..just an interesting question

 

[Tampa UK]

I would love for someone to fly a drone through Commonwealth stadium during a game this year so we can see what happens. I guess they would have to arrest anyone who damaged the drone, if this is the precedent being set.

 

[wildcatsboston1984_rivals]

I would love for someone to fly a drone through Commonwealth stadium during a game this year so we can see what happens. I guess they would have to arrest anyone who damaged the drone, if this is the precedent being set.

Flying the drone over CWS during a game would likely violate a law.

 

[KopiKat]

Interesting. a 40 millimeter Glock? lol. where the f'k can I get one of those? Austrian grenade launcher for American gun owners. I'm all in.

If a drone is over your property and you can shoot it with a handgun or shotgun chances are it is flying to damn low for you to tolerate. Shoot the damn thing.

 

[Crawfords Corner]

One of those whatever the law decides if it happens again Im gonna deal with it the same way situations. If you feel your children are being violated Im all for protecting them the best way you see fit.

 

[We-Todd-Did]

I wonder what would happen if he had shot down one of Obama's drones. According to very good internet sources those things are everywhere and some are invisible.

 

[RandomUser]

Quick podcast listen/read if you're interested, saying that < 83 feet is private property. Anything > 500 feet up is public property. Things like this are forcing the eventual regulation of the space in between.

Drone Wars: Who Owns the Air?

 

[UKGrad93]

[laughing]

 

[Big_Blue79]

If the drone was being operated illegally, does that give the homeowner the right to fire a gun in city limits? No. Whip out your smart phone, record the thing, have the operators held accountable. Or shoot it and face the consequences.

Has there been any statement, aside from the shooter's, about what the drone was doing? I'm sure he didn't exaggerate even a little , but it'd be nice to confirm.

 

[-LEK-]

Quick podcast listen/read if you're interested, saying that < 83 feet is private property. Anything > 500 feet up is public property. Things like this are forcing the eventual regulation of the space in between.

Drone Wars: Who Owns the Air?

I thought the article Blue linked indicated that under law, drones are defined as aircraft, and its illegal to shoot any aircraft. Under law, 747 is same as drone. Could be wrong though.

I wonder if he had lassoed it. Would that have worked?