Originally Posted by
locolobo13
Not sure I buy that. I've seen plenty of people violently ejected from private property. When the police arrive they usually arrest the trespasser not the evicter. I'm talking about bars and retail establishments but private property is private property.
As to a somebody operating an aircraft "in" my backyard. If it's below the tree canopy and I can safely remove it I may do so. Violently. If it comes within arms reach that in my mind is a danger. I will protect myself as seems right for the moment. Not going to worry about the law at that point.
You can point out the details of the law. But cops often talk about what a "reasonable" person would do. I suspect we are going to find that "reasonable" people are quite willing to take a stick or baseball bat to drones that come within their reach. Even if it's not in their backyard. If and or when these cases go to court I'm not betting on the drones rights. Yes I agree discharging a firearm in these situations is excessive.
It's happened multiple times now in various places that people have destroyed a drone flying over their property, and the property owner has been the one arrested, not the drone operator. Go ahead and take your chances with that.
Also note: Governor Jerry Brown
vetoed the bill in California that would have made it illegal to fly a drone over private property. So nowhere in the U.S. is it any form of trespassing. While you might get away with some use of force to eject a trespasser, if you destroy a drone, you are the only one who is actually breaking any law. Makes it pretty simple for law enforcement in that case.