Man under arrest for shooting at his neighbor’s drone with a shotgun
Jun 28, 2024
Dunja Djudjic
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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A seemingly ordinary day in upstate New York took a dramatic turn when a resident decided to take drone matters into his own hands – with a shotgun. 60-year-old Joseph H. Dishaw of Ogdensburg is facing charges after allegedly shooting down his neighbor’s drone.
According to the New York State Police’s press release, the incident occurred on June 18 when troopers were called to Haggert Road in Oswegatchie for reports of a shot-down drone. Investigations revealed that Dishaw became irate after spotting his neighbor’s drone flying over his property. His response? Discharging a shotgun in the direction of the drone, according to the police report.
Thankfully, no one was injured in this case. However, Dishaw’s hotheaded solution resulted in him facing charges of menacing in the second-degree and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He was arraigned in the Town of Morristown Court and released on his own recognizance.
While the exact reason for Dishaw’s frustration remains unclear, you should note that shooting down a drone, even if it’s hovering over your property, is a big no-no. DroneDJ writes that federal law prohibits such actions due to the potential safety hazards involved.
So what can you do if a drone decides to play Peeping Tom over your backyard? No, don’t take the guns out. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) offers a more grounded solution. Residents who witness drones violating FAA regulations can report the incident to their local FAA flight standards district office. The FAA can then investigate the matter and pursue appropriate action against the drone operator.
Dunja Djudjic
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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3 responses to “Man under arrest for shooting at his neighbor’s drone with a shotgun”
“Residents who witness drones violating FAA regulations can report the incident to their local FAA flight standards district office. The FAA can then investigate the matter and pursue appropriate action against the drone operator.”. That sure helps. Because all drones are properly labeled and registered, especially ones operated by morons having no issue with trespassing private property. And the FAA certainly has nothing better to do but opening a Navy CIS case to hunt down a rogue drone pilot.
A shotgun actually is a proper, even educational way of dealing with the issue (drones are surprisingly hard to hit with rifle bullets) albeit a bit over the top perhaps. But who carries 12 gauge rubber slugs with extended range upwards of 30 USD for a pack of 10, just in case?
Problem here in Germany is those damn firearms regulations. So only forest rangers can officially shoot innocent people and get away with it.
In the US when you buy property that property does NOT extend up into the sky!! So that is why it is illegal to shoot down any drone. Besides the safety factor/vigilante justice.
@Anotherusername: Nowhere in my comment did I say that shooting down a drone would be legal. I called it “a proper, even educational way of dealing with the issue”. Which it for sure is. Where common sense ends, violence begins.
And of course private property does not extend into the sky. Not in the US, not in Germany and neither in any other sane country of the world. Otherwise you’d be deep drilling for oil or launching you own private rockets.