This whole drone thing is bizarre. Its almost as if a vast number of people are completely unaware of how many people own and use drones regularly if not daily. They are pretty much standard equipment for outdoors people to film their adventures, by wheeled machines, hiking, horse and mule, whatever.
They are used quite a lot by law enforcement all over, as well as commercial companies for all sorts of reasons, it reduces risk and time to inspect all sorts of things, even to sniff for gas leaks and things of that sort, looking for lost people, theres delivery services in places that use drones, they are pretty much everywhere. Then theres a hobbyists, ordinary people messing around with them kids, whatever. They play, look for the lost dog, mess with their friends. The media seems to be playing dumb, this is all such a shock that such things exist, what horrible things are they doing in the neighborhoods! Yes, some, even many are used by idiots and people with poor judgement, and flying them around active airports and wildfires (which totally shuts down air response to the fires until the drones are removed) likely the majority are commercial or LE or .gov at night. Its easier to tail or surveil suspects with a drone than a helicopter, even if they had one, or it was available, and far less conspicuous. But the news and social media are playing this up as if its something totally unknown and obviously evil. If the LE folks are surveiling someone, or multiple someones do you thing they are going to give up their methods? Same with .gov and contractors developing new drone tech and counter drone tech. One news source is saying there has been ongoing .mil research in the area thats supposed to be overun by enemy/alien drones.
I dont know the exact legal ramifications of shooting them down, but its a federal issue I believe. Go ahead and shoot down a law enforcement, search and rescue, or gas company drone and it probably wont go well. Not the mention some cant seem to make the distinction between a manned or unmanned craft. Shoot at an aircraft with people in it and you are probably done owning guns the rest of your life if not spend some time in the grey bar hotel. Theres been a huge increase in lasers pointed at airplanes recently, this is a huge problem, hopefully they can increase penalties enough for such stupidity that it will stop. The ignorant media and political frenzy has apparently made people think they have to defend civilization with laser pointers and interfere with commercial airplanes.
Drones are frigging everywhere, theres nothing new or nefarious about them. Theres over a million in use in the US. If theres some weird happenings, let them sort it out. Playing dumb is exactly what id expect if the .gov didnt wish to make known their research and development on drone use, regardless of what color coolaid the prevailing winds drink. Its highly unlikely theres going to be much if any public information given out about the .mil and LE development and use of drones.
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A great video adventuring in Arizona, guess how they filmed most of it? Theres thousands of such videos on youtube, even the "born 100 years too late" guy that rides mules in the NM desert. Which are pretty good by the way, he packs a 94 all the time and runs hounds, sometimes hunting lions if theres local problems.
White Dog Overland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsgMbCpkqro
Brett at Born 100 years too late.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNBbxsL9ZJw
The whole current drone thing reminds me of "OMG, theres PLASTIC pistols!! We have to DO something!"
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"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." -Theodore Roosevelt-
Isnt it amazing how many people post without reading the thread?