What ever happened to calling the authorities who are trained for and supposed to handle these kinds of problems? Just a reminder to you, that it is AGAINST the law to interfere with the flight and operation of any aircraft. You might end up being the one paying a huge fine and/or meeting bubba at the local jail.
I have no fears of paying fines or ending up in jail. Especially since I have no intention of shooting a gun in my yard at a drone. Not sure how you arrived at that assumption.
Interfering with "the flight and operation of any aircraft" is "illegal." So when some twit flies their Phantom into my backyard and into my kid's head I guess my kid goes to federal lockup for 20 years to life (after he gets out of the hospital)? Will my homeowner's policy defend me for building a home in my neighbor's flight path when his drone crashes through my window?
The hypocrisy on this forum is amazing.
Isn't is also against the "rules" to fly over people? Don't people on this forum constantly berate others for flying over people? What is that not okay until a non-flyer has a problem with a drone buzzing by his head in his own backyard?
Every situation is different. Sure, call the "authorities." The local police will likely take longer to response than the flight time of a single Phantom battery. The FAA might take weeks to response to your request. File your "report." Nothing wrong with that. There are also situations where immediate action is needed to protect yourself and your family.
Everyone likes to point out the idiots who "do dumb things" and blame them for the public outcry against "drones" People flying over other's backyards - trespassing and harassing their neighbors - are a big part of that. Trespass is illegal. Endangering the welfare of others is illegal. Damage to others or their property is illegal. I suspect the person flying the machine is in greater danger of paying fines or seeing a jail cell than the people protecting themselves. Especially considering the judge's ruling in the incident being discussed.'
It may a a disappointment for self-righteous wannabe pilots such as yourself, but my private property is MINE. I bought the land and pay the taxes. You have no special right to walk, drive or fly onto it without invitation. You have no right to put my safety at risk.
To place a hobby quadcopter in the same class as a commercial passenger jet shows how out of touch the FAA is. (Hint, it's not a safety thing, it's a control and money thing).
To suggest that "interfere with the flight and operation of any aircraft" should mean similar penalties (i.e. jail time) for taking down a passenger jet vs throwing a rock at at toy shows how out of touch some hobbyists are.
Flying over someone's backyard is wrong. Destroying someone's toy copter is wrong. I'm not sure jail time is an appropriate punishment for either. Two wrongs don't make a right (three lefts do). According to what the FAA and AMA say - and what I read on various forums - it is the "pilot" who is the real criminal here since he/she is the one flying over people and putting them in harm's way. The UAV community should be happy that their flying machine was destroyed.