The operator be miles away, not even in sight.
Gps, waypoint to waypoint flying, 4K camera’s, are pretty common these days.

I am not sure how long the shoot down is a crime will hold up either. They suspended the law requiring you to register them (the hobbyist size) which removes them from the same category as an airplane.

most crooks are nowhere near that hi-tek
far more likely a neighbor kid playing with his new toy

and our gun-nuts want to shoot it

would you guys shoot down a model plane also ?
if not why

'cause they are too damn hard to hit ;).

Most model planes fly around. This thing could (sounds like it did) come and hover over you while watching and recording what you're doing. I suspect you'd be pretty grumpy if I came into your backyard with a video camera and hung out while you or your wife or kids were outside. This is really no different but completely different from a model plane.

That is why full auto 50+ cal needs to be legal!!
:cool:

Most people are not able to recognize the difference between the Russian trenchcoat stalker on the foggy corner following you down the street VS. a series of innocuous static camera globes on every corner.

Rat bastard! :cool:

I was on a panel at a UAS conference yesterday and this very issue came up.

I don't have a dog in this fight since the stuff we make is either DoD or commercial grade. I don't make hobby anything. DJI slayed that market years ago.

One of the LEO guys attending the conference about the potential violations of city, county and federal regs for discharge of a weapon against a non threat.

Not my area of expertise.

I can tell you I support much more stringent regulation for commercial operators.

This

When it comes to tech., some crooks have it some crooks do not. A neighbor's kid is a possibility. As to it being far more likely, I fail to see sufficient information being provided to come to that conclusion.

While it is possible to outfit a model plane with a camera, I have yet to come across anyone who encountered a model airplane with camera snooping around or peeping. There is a degree of difficulty to overcome with fixed wing versus copter-like drones and being able to snoop/peep.

As to copter-like drones, I have and my neighbors have encountered such peeping in windows.

The desire to shoot it down is immaterial of the platform. Further it has nothing to do with being a gun nut or not. It is however correlated with what the other side is seeing or could possibly see.

Since you asked why, I feel it important to really put it in a context you can understand. To this I provide the following hypothetical example: Lets say you are giving the plumber a hummer as a tip for once again unclogging your toilet because you repeatedly fail to courtesy flush. Your neighbor has a quad copter and is curious why the plumber's van shows up so often for 15 minutes at a time. Your neighbor decides to have a look see using the quad copter. While giving that hummer to the plumber you notice a quad copter peeping through the window. Possibly recording your tip to the plumber. Odds are you are going to want to shoot it down and immediate is not soon enough. Again, hypothetically speaking.

Well this thread took an unexpected turn. Any plumbers care to comment?

How is it not ok for some guy to point high power binoculars into the bedroom window of some teenaged girl/woman. ... but ok for flying a camera up to the same window? Airspace?

As far as R/C plane Vs Drones, I believe many medium to high end drones come with cameras built in.

And as far as shooting them down, many of us live in the city where discharging a fire arm will get you a visit from the Popo.

Which brings me to my new business venture... the anti drone drone!

Gotta ask, what line of work requires a shotgun silencer?

Plumbing!

lol

Paintball gun. And practice rapid fire. Toy vs Toy.

Make a frequency jammer. The more expensive drones will fly home when they lose contact with the transmitter.

What about a pet Falcon or Eagle ? He's eat it alive !

Wrist Rocket. High pressure water hose.