What Can We Do About Drones?!?

[Fiveslide]

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

what would YOU do if you were being buzzed or circled or flown by closely (as the OP states) repeatedly while anchored?

I think we need to have some fun with this person. You have to fight crazy with crazy.

I'd get a lifelike stuffed sheep and pretend to fornicate with it.

If it came back I'd put the sheep in a noose and hang it from a spreader.

If it came back again, I'd probably fake my own murder as a grand finale. Try to get them to go to the cops and oust themselves as a friggin weirdo that likes to film others with drones.

[Cheechako]

I like the .22 caliber approach. A semi auto ought to do it. Not very noisy either. You can probably get it down by not even being observable on deck... just wait until it is in the right place to shoot from the companionway.

[superorso]

Assuming the drone is closed enough to get hit with the water pressure, this will not leave any mark....

http://www.amazon.com/Super-Soaker-A.../dp/B009TQA8N0

Good luck!

[Cadence]

Sounds as tough it is a vendetta of some type? Or some wise ass kids.

[GregoryK]

OK so, he flies he drone OVER your boat at about 20ft?

Being a sailor my answer to that is fill the space with netting. Get a thin mono filament net (so it will less likely to be visible to your fly boy before it's too late), hoist it aloft where you would normally have your sails. You might want to add a small weight to the ends of the halyard s to make sure they come back down when you need them to.

Oh and for added fun, drop the halyards when your boy hits it, and let it all fall in the water. Take your time recovering it and your net from the salt water.

Now when Mr Law comes out and asks about the missing drone: his drone collided with your netting. You put it there to keep the birds from pooping on your deck, and his machine damaged your property, and now you are goping to have to replace the damaged netting etc, and here is flyboy's (now salt water ruined) drone.

[Prairie Chicken]

I agree with a64pilot. Collect your data (photos of drone, notes of times, dates, behaviour, names of witnesses, etc.) and then call the local FAA FSDO. Speak to an inspector & see what he recommends. If they don't have the jurisdiction, they'll suggest you speak to local law enforcement next. No harm done to them and they are likely more up to date with the regs on drones than the local cops, who may blow you off because they don't know what laws may have been violated.

Also, pilot is mostly right about how one is charged if the operator is or isn't a certificated airman. I believe the FAA are using administrative law for some if not most of their enforcement actions. If that's the case, the offender has to have an FAA certificate for them to suspend, or suspend if the offender fails to pay his monetary penalty. If the offender doesn't hold a certificate, action must be taken thru the courts, a longer & more expensive & tedious process.

While it would be fun to blow the thing out of the sky, I doubt if it is the wisest thing to do.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by minaret

I'd think you'd need several tries at least with a wrist rocket, even with "bolo" ammo. I'd go with a pellet rifle, scoped. About $150 for a Gamo with scope that shoots @ 1250 FPS. Pellet rifles aren't what they were in our youth anymore! Vastly more accurate and powerful. All break barrel, no pumping. I'd leave the companionway and hatches open at about the usual time, then shoot that sucker down from inside the boat, without coming on deck. Inside of the boat will be too dark in bright sun for video footage.

Good idea! Pellets rifles are not controlled in most places and cheap. Some are damn powerful. You can shoot it down without being seen.

[Travis McGee]

Originally Posted by steamgoat

How about a catapult [wrist rocket] Tie two nuts together with a yard of fishing line and try to tangle it up. Silent but deadly !!

Brilliant!!

[Steadman Uhlich]

Some Possible Solutions (that may cause you more problems):

1. Document the offending drone use by date with video (use your phone) that shows multiple incidents and the distance from your boat, distance from the land/home and the duration of their buzzing of you. Save this for evidence.

2. Make a poster or large sign that asks them to stop buzzing your boat. Make this poster easy to read and make sure it is pointed at the drone if it is close to your boat. Show this to the drone. Document (with your own video) that you are politely asking them to stop. If the buzzing or harassment continues, change the sign to a warning sign. Document this too.

3. Notify the authorities, using your video evidence of multiple times it has buzzed you, to document harassment. Show them the video documentation and your written records of multiple drone close buzzing incidents. Get this report documented.

Ask local police department what you should do. Document the LEO answer on video. Get the quote from someone in a management role. Do the same at the Mayors office.

4. If the offensive activity does not stop, or if the authorities claim they are powerless to help consider next steps.

5. Using non-lethal, (no guns) and legal items (fishing rod, sling shot) devise a way to disable the drone if it is buzzing you, but only after you have asked them to stop.

___________

A couple of folks mentioned the wrist rocket sling shot.

That would be my first choice IF the drone is very close to the boat. If it is not close to the boat, I don't think you should be so bothered by the drone, and I would just ignore it.

For disabling the drone that is flying very close and low, I think a sling shot with a "bolo" type device such as two lead fishing weights joined by meter long length of leader wire would be my choice. The goal would be to entangle one or more of the drone's props, causing it to fall to the water. As the linked video showed, monofilament fishing line may not stop the rotors, as the rotors could cut the mono.

Key Question:

Is it illegal to down a privately owned drone over the water, after it has been established and documented that you were being harassed by it, after you attempted to communicate with the drone owner by posting a warning, and that you went to the proper authorities to try to stop the harassment?

I think the key here is to carefully document (video and dated) the numerous times the drone has buzzed your boat, your attempt to communicate with the drone owner (fair warning was given via the big poster or sign ), your attempts to go through local law enforcement, how you were advised by local officials, and then your own attempt to stop the harassment while using non-lethal, legal devices or tools.

However, I would expect that any boater that causes an expensive drone to be downed and lost in the water will likely cause the offending drone pilot to seek retaliation for his loss. Whether through legal means or mischief (vandalizing your boat or dinghy while you are away) it could prove costly.

[Montanan]

Of legal concern is that if you damage the offensive drone you may be liable for property damage. And of course, shooting guns in a city is usually big trouble.

Perhaps you could give chase to the drone with one of your own, drone wars.

Or try casting a fishline as occurred in the film linked below, to bad the line broke and the fisherperson was not able to real it onto the pier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrzU-MMBGIM

[Peter200]

Originally Posted by 2hullvenus

I'm having a hell of a time right now with some jerk who keeps sending a drone to my boat.

I'm at anchor and this jerk sends the drone 20' above the boat repeatedly, day after day.

I'm really tired of the noise and I'm not here at anchor to have people looking in my salon windows and stuff.

I'm in Miami. What are my legal rights?

First instinct is to throw things at it.

Its the bar manager with your bar bill being delived by an Amazon drone 😳 All part of the service, cheese burger with you in ten 😉 Fries with that?
Drones flight duration 20 mins max the generator running two boats down 8 hrs all night 😩 Moving anchorage maybe a consideration for you also.

[valhalla360]

I have to ask...who did you piss off or what did you do to attract their attention?


You are in an anchorage with other boats but they only come out and buzz your boat. They do it repeatedly day after day on a schedule.


This sounds like an ex wife or something. It doesn't sound like some random person who locked onto your boat for no reason.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

This however is interesting

There is increasing demand to use small drones for a wide array of commercial purposes. The FAA has identified the dividing line between a model aircraft and a small drone as more one of intent, rather than of technology. If it is used for commercial purposes, it’s a drone. If it’s used purely for recreational purposes, it’s a model aircraft.

Once the drone lobby gets big enough...

[vjm]

I am a criminal defense attorney in Florida. This is not legal advice, just my take on the situation.

The law regarding drones only applies in places where you have a reasonable expectation of privacy. If it was hovering around peeking in your curtains, maybe. On deck? Good luck with that argument.

If you do anything to it, a charge of felony criminal mischief would be possible. If you shoot at it, a felony charge of discharging a firearm may be possible. Those both can result in prison time and felony probation, as well as some delightful court costs and fees. Not worth the hassle.

The advice to video it every time it appears and call the cops every time seems prudent. Keeping a log of all sightings, with as many details as possible, can't hurt.

If all else fails, local media loves stories like this.

[paulfl]

Originally Posted by minaret

I'd think you'd need several tries at least with a wrist rocket, even with "bolo" ammo. I'd go with a pellet rifle, scoped. About $150 for a Gamo with scope that shoots @ 1250 FPS. Pellet rifles aren't what they were in our youth anymore! Vastly more accurate and powerful. All break barrel, no pumping. I'd leave the companionway and hatches open at about the usual time, then shoot that sucker down from inside the boat, without coming on deck. Inside of the boat will be too dark in bright sun for video footage.

I would add that you can buy a slick bb automatic (6 shot burst ,air powered) for less than$100 bucks and a Halloween mask for next to nothing Then let THEM prove who did what