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New Telemetry Suggests Shot-Down Drone Was Higher Than Alleged

Posted by samzenpus on from the lucky-shot dept.

AmiMoJo writes: The pilot of the drone shot down Sunday evening over a Kentucky property has now come forward with video seemingly showing that the drone wasn't nearly as close as the property owner made it out to be. The data also shows that it was well over 200 feet above the ground before the fatal shots fired. The shooter, meanwhile, continues to maintain that the drone flew 20 feet over a neighbour's house before ascending to "60 to 80 [feet] above me."

4 of 528 comments (clear)

  1. Really? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    You would have trouble seeing such a drone at 'well over 200 feet above ground' let alone shooting it down with a shotgun.

  2. Impossible with #6 or lesser shotgun shot by geggam · · Score: 4, Informative

    ... simply put at that range ( 200 ft ) any pellets the size of #6 or smaller would simply not have the ballistic energy.

    2 ply cardboard wouldnt be penetrated at 200 feet.

    Source : Years of hunting and shooting with 12 guages

    1. Re:Impossible with #6 or lesser shotgun shot by DRJlaw · · Score: 4, Informative

      You're simply wrong.

      Source: actual ballistics tables

      60 yards is 180 ft -- 20 ft short of the target distance. 500 FPS will still hurt quite a bit.

      Maximum range with "no" ballistic energy is 200 yards, and we're talking about smaller birdshot (#7.5-8), not #6.

      Sign a liability waiver, stand 200 ft away, and allow me to blast away at you with Remington 12 guage #6 if you're so sure of yourself...

  3. Re: Might want to reconsider paying the fine... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    http://www.faa.gov/news/updates/?newsId=76381

    Myth #1: Unmanned aircraft are not aircraft.

    Fact â"Unmanned aircraft, regardless of whether the operation is for recreational, hobby, business, or commercial purposes, are aircraft within both the definitions found in statute under title 49 of U.S. Code, section 40102(a)(6) [49 U.S.C. Â 40102(a)(6)] and title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations section 1.1.[14 C.F.R. Â 1.1].