
Kentucky man shoots down drone spying on 16-year-old daughter - aarondf
http://www.dailydot.com/technology/kentucky-drone-shooting/?fb=dd
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matmann2001
Should we be more strict about the use of the word 'drone'? Not just here, but
everywhere. The vehicle in this article is likely just a quadcopter.

The only reason I'm being pedantic is connotation. The word 'drone' is often
associated with its military context, which may cause trouble for those
pushing for better laws on commercial/recreational unmanned aerial vehicles,
autonomous or not. In the minds of those uneducated on the differences of
these types of vehicles, having more permissive laws regarding drone operation
can sound like a bad thing.

Once media and lawmakers start using this jargon regularly, it will be too
late to go back and re-educate people on the proper way to classify these
types of vehicles.

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drivingmenuts
The words "drone" and "robot" imply some degree of independent action, in my
opinion. What we have here is an RC quadcopter, no more, no less.

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wlesieutre
Better coverage here: [http://www.wdrb.com/story/29650818/hillview-man-
arrested-for...](http://www.wdrb.com/story/29650818/hillview-man-arrested-for-
shooting-down-drone-cites-right-to-privacy)

More recently disputed by the drone's owner, who has the flight data recorded
by the drone: [http://www.wdrb.com/story/29670583/update-drone-owner-
disput...](http://www.wdrb.com/story/29670583/update-drone-owner-disputes-
suspects-claims-produces-video-claiming-to-show-flight-path)

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nicklo
This was the premise of a South Park episode last year.

It's amazing that Trey & Matt are so dead on when it comes to current events
and culture critique that they sometimes even parody the future.

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ccvannorman
Let's just be glad they aren't _always_ correct ....

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HeyLaughingBoy
Next time use a slingshot or a bow, or just throw a rock at it. FAA says the
air up to 500' above your property is under your control.

~~~
mikepurvis
If it really was just 10' up, you could pretty much whack it with a
broomstick.

The presence of the firearm definitely complicates this story.

~~~
gmarx
presumable the drone pilot would see the guy with the broomstick and then go
higher.

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Nadya
Reading the comments is rather irritating... so many people asking to see the
Sim card (not the SD Card), which was apparently taken away by the shooter.

Two hobbyists in the comment section are constantly explaining drones and
wide-lens cameras and the lack of detail at close distances (even as close as
20 yards).

It's astounding to me that the same people who are saying it's within their
rights as an American citizen to shoot down the drone and blah blah blah are
also acting completely contrary to the idea of _innocent until proven guilty_
by automatically assuming the drone pilot was spying/snooping. Many of them
show ignorance over drones and how drones work.

Many in the comments are also touting gun knowledge ("Shotguns don't have an
effective range of 200 feet to shoot down the drone, as the drone owner
claims.") - Well guess what? The _effective range_ is for
penetration/killing/before the bullet hits the ground when shot horizontally.
If shot vertically and it so much as hits a propeller, the Phantom drone goes
down. It doesn't need to be at it's _effective range_ nor does it need to
penetrate the drone.

My opinion?

Drone owner is innocent (until proven guilty, which is how our law system is
supposed to work), was shooting video for friend as claimed, and the "all
drones are ban and used for spying" gun owner figured it was spying on his
daughter and shot it down.

20 seconds in the video on this page a photo from the gun owner is shared. The
drone is hovering well over 10 feet. [0]

The question is if a drone is an aircraft under the law: 18 USC 32 ; although
I'm sure the court might just dismiss the case and require reparation payments
at most, in news-fear-mongering-speak "he could be looking at up to 20 years
in jail and a felony on his record".

[0] [http://www.wdrb.com/story/29650818/hillview-man-arrested-
for...](http://www.wdrb.com/story/29650818/hillview-man-arrested-for-shooting-
down-drone-cites-right-to-privacy)

