An incident in Minnesota may soon become more frequent as drone technology moves forward. A man allegedly shot down a drone flying over an area. This incident provides insight into a potentially more common occurrence within the next few years.
Shot Down from the Sky
A journalist was trying to take aerial footage of a meat-processing factory. This was possible with the help of his drone. When employees spotted the drone, they questioned the owner about his reasons. Afterwards, someone shot the drone out of the sky, totaling it in the process. The $1900 drone sustained tremendous damage – all because of one direct hit.
The man who shot the drone is now facing charges, including damage to property and reckless discharge of a weapon within city limits. While the case was resolved, there are some points to consider on both sides. First, the act of shooting down a drone is illegal under aviation laws. While they vary from area to area, it is still destruction of property.
A Failure to Inform
On the other side of the coin, the drone owner had faults as well. The flying drone looked suspicious because the owner neglected to inform the people in the area of what he was doing. The employees who spotted the drone had to go over and ask the owner’s agenda, meaning he never provided any advanced notice.
This took the people in the area completely off-guard. While shooting down the drone was illegal, the people still had a legitimate reason to worry. With drones being more and more affordable and available at every tech store, these incidents have nowhere to go but up. Drone owners must have the responsibility and foresight to inform people in the area beforehand. Whether it is shooting at a public area or within private residences, nobody wants the idea of a camera flying around.
