What Can We Do About Drones?!?

[belizesailor]

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 !!

I think thats a fine idea. No legal issues due to discharge of a fire arm, simple, effective.

[Terra Nova]

The difficulty will be .gov's convenient and perhaps creative interpretation of the term "firearm".

But, yeah, do what you have to do.

[jeanathon]

A friend was playing around with his new drone controlled by his iPhone when it lost signal and fell from the sky. A couple seconds later 2 mirage fighters flew over skimming the deck. After they had passed signal was restored, but rotors were broken.
I believe the op is no longer having problems, but food for thought.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

The difficulty will be .gov's convenient and perhaps creative interpretation of the term "firearm".

But, yeah, do what you have to do.

Near as I could tell from a Federal perspective other than what we all would consider Firearms, this is also included


(e) Any other weapon
The term “any other weapon” means any weapon or device capable of being concealed on the person from which a shot can be discharged through the energy of an explosive, a pistol or revolver having a barrel with a smooth bore designed or redesigned to fire a fixed shotgun shell, weapons with combination shotgun and rifle barrels 12 inches or more, less than 18 inches in length, from which only a single discharge can be made from either barrel without manual reloading, and shall include any such weapon which may be readily restored to fire. Such term shall not include a pistol or a revolver having a rifled bore, or rifled bores, or weapons designed, made, or intended to be fired from the shoulder and not capable of firing fixed ammunition.
(f) Destructive device
The term “destructive device” means
(1) any explosive, incendiary, or poison gas
(A) bomb,
(B) grenade,
(C) rocket having a propellent charge of more than four ounces,
(D) missile having an explosive or incendiary charge of more than one-quarter ounce,
(E) mine, or
(F) similar device;
(2) any type of weapon by whatever name known which will, or which may be readily converted to, expel a projectile by the action of an explosive or other propellant, the barrel or barrels of which have a bore of more than one-half inch in diameter, except a shotgun or shotgun shell which the Secretary finds is generally recognized as particularly suitable for sporting purposes; and
(3) any combination of parts either designed or intended for use in converting any device into a destructive device as defined in subparagraphs (1) and (2) and from which a destructive device may be readily assembled. The term “destructive device” shall not include any device which is neither designed nor redesigned for use as a weapon; any device, although originally designed for use as a weapon, which is redesigned for use as a signaling, pyrotechnic, line throwing, safety, or similar device; surplus ordnance sold, loaned, or given by the Secretary of the Army pursuant to the provisions of section 4684 (2), 4685, or 4686 of title 10 of the United States Code; or any other device which the Secretary finds is not likely to be used as a weapon, or is an antique or is a rifle which the owner intends to use solely for sporting purposes.


Kind of tough to interpret isn't it. I had always been of the belief that my Beeman air rifle was legally a firearm, now not so sure, but it seems there is no doubt that a potato gun is a firearm?

[IdoraKeeper]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Near as I could tell from a Federal perspective other than what we all would consider Firearms, this is also included

it seems there is no doubt that a potato gun is a firearm?

Just remember, "the potato goes in front".

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

...I had always been of the belief that my Beeman air rifle was legally a firearm, now not so sure, but it seems there is no doubt that a potato gun is a firearm?

Ooh, a couple more fine ideas...a pellet gun or potato gun...or to avoid the whole propelant/charge issue a "funnelator"...in college we had a big one that could sling a water balloon well over 100 yards! A good firm water ballon, or better a sand ballon, would really wreck a drone.


http://www.instructables.com/id/how-...-a-funnelator/

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by tjstreve

How about a slingshot full of small BB's?

Or a variation on the nuts and fishing line...tie a few scrap items together with mono then pack into a small plastic cup with the sides slit, like packing in a shot gun shell. This should hold the jumbled mess together long enough for you to launch it on its way toward the drone.

Or, since OP says it gets within 20', cast a lure with a bunch of treble hooks at it...and reel it in.

[Canibul]

I've built a perfectly good projectile launcher ( potato cannon) using compressed air instead of explosives.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Near as I could tell from a Federal perspective other than what we all would consider Firearms, this is also included


(e) Any other weapon
The term “any other weapon” means any weapon or device capable of being concealed on the person from which a shot can be discharged through the energy of an explosive, a pistol or revolver having a barrel with a smooth bore designed or redesigned to fire a fixed shotgun shell, weapons with combination shotgun and rifle barrels 12 inches or more, less than 18 inches in length, from which only a single discharge can be made from either barrel without manual reloading, and shall include any such weapon which may be readily restored to fire. Such term shall not include a pistol or a revolver having a rifled bore, or rifled bores, or weapons designed, made, or intended to be fired from the shoulder and not capable of firing fixed ammunition.
(f) Destructive device
The term “destructive device” means
(1) any explosive, incendiary, or poison gas
(A) bomb,
(B) grenade,
(C) rocket having a propellent charge of more than four ounces,
(D) missile having an explosive or incendiary charge of more than one-quarter ounce,
(E) mine, or
(F) similar device;
(2) any type of weapon by whatever name known which will, or which may be readily converted to, expel a projectile by the action of an explosive or other propellant, the barrel or barrels of which have a bore of more than one-half inch in diameter, except a shotgun or shotgun shell which the Secretary finds is generally recognized as particularly suitable for sporting purposes; and
(3) any combination of parts either designed or intended for use in converting any device into a destructive device as defined in subparagraphs (1) and (2) and from which a destructive device may be readily assembled. The term “destructive device” shall not include any device which is neither designed nor redesigned for use as a weapon; any device, although originally designed for use as a weapon, which is redesigned for use as a signaling, pyrotechnic, line throwing, safety, or similar device; surplus ordnance sold, loaned, or given by the Secretary of the Army pursuant to the provisions of section 4684 (2), 4685, or 4686 of title 10 of the United States Code; or any other device which the Secretary finds is not likely to be used as a weapon, or is an antique or is a rifle which the owner intends to use solely for sporting purposes.


Kind of tough to interpret isn't it. I had always been of the belief that my Beeman air rifle was legally a firearm, now not so sure, but it seems there is no doubt that a potato gun is a firearm?

Very familiar with US weapons laws, and I assure you a pellet rifle is not considered an AOW. I'd be much more concerned about local ordinances than federal law here.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by IdoraKeeper

Just remember, "the potato goes in front".

[GrahamHO]

Originally Posted by jeanathon

A friend was playing around with his new drone controlled by his iPhone when it lost signal and fell from the sky. A couple seconds later 2 mirage fighters flew over skimming the deck. After they had passed signal was restored, but rotors were broken.
I believe the op is no longer having problems, but food for thought.

The Mirage guys possibly though it was an enemy drone and were out to seek and destroy.

[jeanathon]

Originally Posted by GrahamHO

The Mirage guys possibly though it was an enemy drone and were out to seek and destroy.

The area is designated for flight training. I guess they leave their jammers on..

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by jeanathon

The area is designated for flight training. I guess they leave their jammers on..

I don't think any Military aircraft that has a Jamming pod, has it on in peace time, they can do some serious damage, most likely it was just it's Terrain Following Radar, if a Mirage is so equipped, they are old aircraft, I beleive

[GrahamHO]

Originally Posted by jeanathon

The area is designated for flight training. I guess they leave their jammers on..

In this case what were the jammers jamming? Were they jamming the iPhone ( I think it was) that was being used to control the drone? So was everyone's smart phone on the flight path being jammed? Or was it just a coincidence? Or did the drone operator take his eye off the drone and look at the Mirages as they flew past? They could easily cause a distraction, being hard to ignore.

[Cadence]

Any intelligent input going on? Maybe I'm a crotchety old bastard. The whole thing was somewhat comical to begin with but has gotten well beyond that.