RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) – A Rutherford County man flying a new drone with his 7-year-old son was caught by surprise when someone shot it down.

Gary Sammons told News 2 he was flying the DJ I Phantom 4 Drone near his Rutherford County home last Saturday when the incident occurred.

Sammons said his son was watching the drone’s path on an iPad and asked him who people on the ground were.

As he moved the drone closer and hovered, that’s when someone at a neighbor’s home fired several shots.

News 2 spoke with Bryon Brock, the owner of Vivid Aerial in Whites Creek where Sammons purchased the drone.

“When you watch someone point a gun, whether it’s on video or in front of you, it makes your subconscious mind think you are being shot at,” he said.

Despite its damaged propeller, Sammons was able to fly the drone safely back home.

“[It] puts that drone in a very dangerous predicament,” Brock said. “There is no telling where it can fall. If it falls into an oncoming car and causes a major accident or mass casualties the question is who is responsible.”

Brock told News 2 he had another customer who also had their drown shot down by a neighbor in Hendersonville three weeks ago.

“It’s a federal offense to shoot down an aircraft and the FAA has deemed the drone an aircraft,” he said.

Drone attorney, James Mackler with Frost Brown and Todd, is currently representing a drone operator who had his drone shot down in Kentucky.

According to Macker, the law is unclear to drones with respect to boundary between private property and federal airspace.

“What hasn’t happened yet is a court case directly applying aircraft laws to drones in these particular incidences,” he said. “Drones are considered aircrafts by the FAA/ We all have the right to privacy and we all have the right to protect our property, but we all need to be good neighbors and that applies to both drone operators and land owners, and if you see something you think is improper, the best approach is to call the police or the FAA, not to take your shotgun and take matters into your own hands.”

News 2 chose not to identify the man who shot at the drone in the most recent incident in Murfreesboro since he was not charged with a crime.

The responding deputy could not identify a law that had been broken.




Share this:

The arsehole that put it in the air.

+1. It is good that we can agree on something.

No shock there, I am a very agreeable fellow.

LOL, "Drone attorney" WTF?

Maybe people shouldn't fly drones within gun range of other people. At that range I may feel threatened or harassed.

I doubt someone with a helicopter would hover over some strangers head at 100 feet....

Quite so, since they are deemed an aircraft they would be subject to height restrictions...anything under that height is not an aircraft and is fair game.

I remember when being called a "Drone Pilot" was a bad thing!

How much more do we need to know? He was flying it over private property and spying on his neighbors. I would have shot it down, too.

DING DING DING!!!

Last year the FAA passed a regulation that drones must fly UNDER 500' and with a maximum speed of 100 mph.

Here's a rundown from Popular Science: DRONE LIMITS More regulations will be along in the future. One I would add is that all drones carry owners identification. When I shoot one down, I want to know who was spying on us.

And rightly so, otherwise they would be VERY difficult to hit.

If my shotgun can reach it, you are too close.

FAA classifies drones as aircraft. The one that flies the aircraft is the pilot. Don't pilots have to be licensed?

yept....12 gauge will work fine

Only if they're carrying a passenger (s(.

To find out what FAA regulations cover the operation of UAS, including drones and model aircraft, check with the FAA- https://www.faa.gov/uas/

What century was that?

I havent read the rules, but are you saying I can buy my own plane and fly it, without a pilot license, if I dont carry any passengers?

An ultralight, yes. There are strict weight and speed restrictions. Recently they came out with a sport pilots license that doesn't require most of the training necessary for a regular license. It allows a bit more weight and speed and I believe that it allows for 1 passenger.

I learned to fly in a cub.
Lots of little planes checking cows and buzzing sheep out here in the prairie.

We don't need no stinking badges!

The drones in question fall under the "hobbyist/recreational" classification. Different rules apply.

Would all of you please quit droning on and on about this..... sorry I couldn't help myself

Oh, just the 20th.

I have a hard time believing one of these little 4 propeller helocopters could fly home with a wounded prop.

Maybe the gyro compensation systems in the toy market are more advanced than I thought.

That or he shot it with rock salt.

Some drones have more than 4 props. I've seen pics of some with 6. It would probably be possible to knock off a blade or 2 and still limp along with it.

Don't look too closely at the blades, though.

Wow!! Poor guy is lucky he still has eyes.

That is one of those "Hold my beer and watch this" moments.

Or this is what happens when you bob for drones.

His 'buddy' probably thought it would be great fun to turn it on while he was checking something up close.

looks like a manatee after the boat races.

Ouch!

Not all land mammals have evolved to use binocular vision wisely...