Invasion of Privacy!!!

[Mr Sprue]

Today as I closed the door of my home workshop my attention was drawn to a buzzing noise up above, I looked up and there was this white drone hovering at an altitude of about 30 foot and around 40 or so foot away me.

As I walked down the front path to my house it adjusted position to what would appear to follow me, I looked up again and spotted what seemed to be a camera fitted to its fuselage, this invasion to my privacy annoyed me so I did a quick turn around and walked back, opened up my workshop and walked inside to see if the drone followed me, it did still hovering outside up there about 30 foot!

Unbeknown to the drone pilot I have two old air rifles stored in there so grabbing one strutted out of the entrance cocked the unloaded rifle, aimed and fired it at the drown!!! It only took two reloads and the thing took off like a scalded cat!

He got lucky today as I appreciate how much these things cost, but if I ever notice it hovering outside looking into my house windows the next time there will be a slug up the barrel !! 

[Skyline2uk]

Today as I closed the door of my home workshop my attention was drawn to a buzzing noise up above, I looked up and there was this white drone hovering at an altitude of about 30 foot and around 40 or so foot away me.

As I walked down the front path to my house it adjusted position to what would appear to follow me, I looked up again and spotted what seemed to be a camera fitted to its fuselage, this invasion to my privacy annoyed me so I did a quick turn around and walked back, opened up my workshop and walked inside to see if the drone followed me, it did still hovering outside up there about 30 foot!

Unbeknown to the drone pilot I have two old air rifles stored in there so grabbing one strutted out of the entrance cocked the unloaded rifle, aimed and fired it at the drown!!! It only took two reloads and the thing took off like a scalded cat!

He got lucky today as I appreciate how much these things cost, but if I ever notice it hovering outside looking into my house windows the next time there will be a slug up the barrel !! 

U.K. law as it stands today states that the drone can not be out of eyesight of the operator so the twit SHOULD have been nearby. If it flew over your house he / she would have also broken the law in that way.

Proposals for next year would also mean he / she has to register the drone and pass a test...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42126150

Personally think it's minor miracle one has not collided with a passenger aircraft yet, if one is ingested in an aircraft engine that would most likely total the engine.

As for shooting it down...not actually sure what the law says about that over your property 

Skyline2uk

[Ian Morton]

That is a breach of the rules concerning drone use which say that  you must avoid flying it within 150 metres of a congested area and 50 metres of a person, vessel, vehicle or structure not under the control of the pilot.

Getting someone to do something about it could, however, be problematical.

Here's a useful starting point:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2016/04/18/drone-laws-in-the-uk--what-are-the-rules/

Edit: Skyline2 pipped me at the post!

[Newportnobby]

As for shooting it down...not actually sure what the law says about that over your property 

Not sure the owner of the drone is likely to report it and, if so, he/she/it has to prove the pellet came from a certain airgun. It might be on camera but I'm sure Mr.Sprue would just say his wasn't loaded and it must have been someone else taking umbrage.
If these eejits can fly drones over private property can we fire surface to air missiles?

[ntpntpntp]

Could be someone just trying out their new Xmas prezzie for the first time. We had something similar a few years ago, just after Xmas.

I thought the craze for these things was dying down anyway now that the rules are being clarified.  Maplin always seem to be having a sale on them.

[Skyline2uk]

The problem is that if they get too common then we get into a sort of arms race with people installing Radio Jammers which are all well and good until said jammer ends up messing up something important (emergency frequencies or similar).

Hopefully the law will catch up.

Skyline2uk

[MalcolmInN]

My 3d worth :
Whilst Mr Sprue has every right to be peeved it is the custom and practice in England that he is not the one to judge the right or wrong of the drone operator, nor to meet out the punishment Thatall can only be determined in a court. So actually firing a pellet at the drone with intent to cause it damage would be a second wrong that would not make a right !

Another aspect : it may have been someone's child who had taken his parents drone without the parents permission or ability to correct/prevent the child. The parent could then seek to claim any resulting damage from someone taking pot-shots ?

A justifiable case could be made of 'taking out' the drone if it would be to prevent a more serious wrong such as if it had been buzzing an old lady on a busy street at risk of causing her to stumble, possibly into the path of a Clapham Omnibus.

[Intercity]

It's not the first time this has come up, there is a story from 2015 of a guy in Kentucky who found himself having to defend his actions in court, he shot down the drone and was found not guilty, but he had to justify his action, produce witnesses and contest the drone owners own data.

Personally these things are a menace, sure they might be fun and people have captured great pictures with them, but most of the time the result come at a cost (whether that be a fine, or just getting in the way, invading privacy), we have had issues at work when train fans try to match the train for their good shots and either get in the way or get tangled up in the OHLE

[guest311]

are they proof against a .50 cal or a blowpipe, not the amazon indian type, but the proper f*****f AAGW ?

[MalcolmInN]

It would probably be better if Mr Sprue were to avail himself of a laser pointer for the future, rather than a pellet up the spout of an air rifle. He is at liberty (for now) to point it where he will as long as it is not carelessly at an airline pilot or emergency helicopter etc.
It would be 'sad'(!?)  if the drone pilot was not able to see and control the drone if his camera were saturated resulting in it crashing !

[MalcolmInN]

Or perhaps something like this :

[Zogbert Splod]

A neighbour of mine, when I lived in the US, 'captured'  a drone by throwing a bed cover at it from a first floor window. On the assumption that the operator was nearby he announced in a very loud voice that the owner was welcome to come around and have it returned.  It was never collected.

[MalcolmInN]

throwing a bed cover at it from a first floor window.

Which, being "over there", was actually the second floor ?
ducks&runs

I've just had a vision : a sequel to Robot Wars 

[Railwaygun]

for the paranoid amongst us..

https://globalnews.ca/news/3880186/powerful-video-warns-of-the-danger-of-autonomous-slaughterbot-drone-swarms/

they could target Model Rail enthusiasts!

[Mr Sprue]

Air weapon law (taken from the government web site) states

"It is an offence for any person to use an air weapon for firing a pellet beyond the boundaries of any premises."

I would suggest that the more serious offence was that committed by Mr Sprue and not the drone operator as he was the one who potentially endangered lives. It a pellet did hit the drone, the drone could cause injury to somebody when it dropped out of the sky.   

Firstly had you read my post the air rifle was not loaded, I merely enacted the motions of loading and fired off compressed air!

Secondly if it was flying within my boundary's of which it was and if I was callous I had every right to end this machines flight.

Thirdly as probably someone like yourself whom has a passion for modeling the reason it was able to fly back to its pilot! 

Last of all some Air rifle etiquette 

At the end of the day
Always leave your shoot in the condition in which you would like to find it. Make sure that you collect all your equipment. It is courteous to thank the landowner and to offer him something from the bag if you have shot any edible quarry. Take care of your edible quarry – remember it is food, store it in a cool place and never waste it. Non-edible quarry should be disposed of discreetly, carefully and should not create a health hazard. This is a legal requirement. Under most circumstances deep burial beyond the reach of a carnivorous animal would be appropriate. The displaying of carcasses on fences or on a gamekeeper's "gibbet" serves no useful purpose and may offend other countryside users.