Drones: plot twist!

denverpilot

denverpilot

Tied Down
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DenverPilot
Someone (paranoid) on a local social media doohickey pointed out a fun loophole in the drone stuff...

You see they don’t like the power company drones that are buzzing around out here in multiples lately being over their property.

They noticed (amazingly) that it’s unlawful to shoot them down, of course...

... but gosh, an an “accidental” mid-air with a (much cheaper) other drone and a whole lot of “gosh I’m soooo sorry!” ...

... would work just fine. Hahahaha.

I’m just dying laughing that the paranoid rubes out here managed to not only get the law right (usually they just start shooting) but also come up with a mildly plausible scenario to still knock the things down.

Hahaha. Love it. So funny.

This is the same group that’s discussing the EMF health problems the new smart meters are going to cause — and writing up various letters rejecting their smart meter installs.

Which... didn’t work. Mostly because the utility lied.

They said they’d schedule the installs. Talking to the contractor who did ours after politely asking to enter the fenced part of the property and not to be eaten by the dogs... he said their instructions were “just do all of them as fast as you can”.

Hahah.

Ahh prairie drama. Such fun. :)
 
Sounds like an amateur method.
Seems like you should come up with a "tow rope" of sufficient weight to "snap" before the "defensive measures" drone is dragged, and a net hanging from a better, faster, more precise "defensive" drone to "collide" with the other drone's propellers. And no, please don't use that on me when we're out taking photos of high-end real estate... :oops::rolleyes:o_O
 
455 Bravo Uniform said:
I can’t keep drones out of large trees and buildings, how am I supposed to actually hit another drone with mine?!
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I bet I could do it, if I was so inclined. Just need a drone with a good camera and a bit of stick practice. That said, I could also probably avoid you, I hope, if I spotted you coming.
 
overdrive148 said:
A guy shot at my work drone 3 times last week, I was dumbstruck when I heard the shots. I had already been to that site twice for road construction and I was at 200ft AGL. I need less drone violence not more :eek:
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LOL. There’s at least two out here proudly claiming they took pot shots.

Of course, then they learn the law isn’t on their side and the posts quietly disappear. Haha.

And who knows how many have no social media or are just smart enough to shut up about it...

My main concern with these morons is the ballistics of where the damn shot goes when they miss. I doubt they’re thinking about what’s downrange of a high lobbed shot like that.

Here’s hoping they stick to birdshot. Sheesh.
 
denverpilot said:
LOL. There’s at least two out here proudly claiming they took pot shots.

Of course, then they learn the law isn’t on their side and the posts quietly disappear. Haha.

And who knows how many have no social media or are just smart enough to shut up about it...

My main concern with these morons is the ballistics of where the damn shot goes when they miss. I doubt they’re thinking about what’s downrange of a high lobbed shot like that.

Here’s hoping they stick to birdshot. Sheesh.
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I have 4 pictures of the guy (as part of the survey inspection I was doing) with his shotgun out. The cops knew the guy and said that they'd give him a warning. They didn't know much about drone regulations and asked me what the rules were. I told them that from my understanding, it's a felony to take one down, and a misdemeanor if you miss (discharge of a firearm or whatever it is). They still decided to give him a warning. Not going back out there again, no sir.

It's not like I was hiding or anything - bright yellow reflective vest, bright orange landing pad, hazard lights on my car. I had a guy walk out earlier on the inspection asking me what I was doing and if I was legal or not and I showed him what I was up to and talked to him and he was happy. This other guy though? Nope, just pulls out the boomstick in front of his friends in the driveway and starts banging rounds at it.
 
denverpilot said:
Someone (paranoid) on a local social media doohickey pointed out a fun loophole in the drone stuff...

You see they don’t like the power company drones that are buzzing around out here in multiples lately being over their property.

They noticed (amazingly) that it’s unlawful to shoot them down, of course...

... but gosh, an an “accidental” mid-air with a (much cheaper) other drone and a whole lot of “gosh I’m soooo sorry!” ...

... would work just fine. Hahahaha.
Click to expand...
Maintaining a drone CAP might get time-consuming....

Other than a couple of RC airplanes given me as gifts, I've built all of mine from scratch, using 3mm and 6mm depron foam. They only take a few hours to build, and, other than the electronics (which, depending on the engagement locale, should be recoverable and reusable) only cost about $5 or so to make.

It's quite possible to achieve a thrust:weight ratio greater than one, so you don't even really need wings. Build something like a Nike-Ajax with cruciform control surfaces. Fly the interceptor so that it follows your line-of-sight to the target. Make sure you launch when the target is on a left-to-right pass so your vehicle has the right-of-way.

Ron Wanttaja
 
denverpilot said:
..My main concern with these morons is the ballistics of where the damn shot goes when they miss. I doubt they’re thinking about what’s downrange of a high lobbed shot like that.

Here’s hoping they stick to birdshot. Sheesh.
Click to expand...
Shooting at a drone with a bullet is definitely a downrange danger, and you are unlikely to hit the damned thing. Most shooters are not familiar with the effect elevation has on accuracy.

That said, a shotgun is something different. I've been rained on by spent shot numerous times. Bird/goose shot slows to a terminal velocity, then simply falls like rain. However, ought shot and buckshot is something different. For example 00 buckshot is 0.330" in diameter. That's more than a .30 cal bullet. Downrange that could injure or kill.
 
Domenick said:
Shooting at a drone with a bullet is definitely a downrange danger, and you are unlikely to hit the damned thing. Most shooters are not familiar with the effect elevation has on accuracy.

That said, a shotgun is something different. I've been rained on by spent shot numerous times. Bird/goose shot slows to a terminal velocity, then simply falls like rain. However, ought shot and buckshot is something different. For example 00 buckshot is 0.330" in diameter. That's more than a .30 cal bullet. Downrange that could injure or kill.
Click to expand...

Yeah that’s why I’m hoping the idiots out here stick to shotguns. LOL. ;)
 
denverpilot said:
I bet you kept that cartoon because someone ill-informed called your airplane that once? :)
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No, but I will now...:)

In an incredible coincidence, that cartoon was featured on the Far Side web page yesterday. I don't recall seeing it before.

Ron Wanttaja
 
Barrage Balloons were used in both WW1 and WW2 to help defend against attaching aircraft
 

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