# About those RC quad copter drones... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 1, 2015, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493 "2015-02-01T05:15:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493/41 "2015-02-02T18:21:40Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > My stepdad got one for Christmas that was $1500 and it transmits and records video in real time. It’s expensive enough that a person would seek compensation, and the video could make it an open and shut case. Yes, I agree completely. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493/42 "2015-02-02T18:58:03Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > “And over here we can see a fine example of “Internet Blowhard”. They are not an endangered species. You may have encountered them yourself in the wild.” > > I don’t know where you live, Mr A-A, but you fire a shotgun in the city, you’ll get a nice visit from the local police. > > Of course, you’ll never do anything at all, so this discussion is all academic. You’re in personal insult territory, here. You can express your opinions and disagreement without the name-calling. Dial it back. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493/43 "2015-02-02T19:18:03Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > My stepdad got one for Christmas that was $1500 and it transmits and records video in real time. It’s expensive enough that a person would seek compensation, and the video could make it an open and shut case. If your step dad is not invading anyone’s privacy, the copter prolly wont get shot at. So, are you worried about his high dollar copter? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493/44 "2015-02-03T00:59:51Z")
I guess using a CIWS might be considered a bit of an over reaction, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Tuxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ee59a6/32.png) [@Tuxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuxie)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493/45 "2015-02-03T15:59:09Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > “And over here we can see a fine example of “Internet Blowhard”. They are not an endangered species. You may have encountered them yourself in the wild.” > > I don’t know where you live, Mr A-A, but you fire a shotgun in the city, you’ll get a nice visit from the local police. > > Of course, you’ll never do anything at all, so this discussion is all academic. Internet Tough Guy sounds less abrasive. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493/46 "2015-02-03T16:30:05Z")
For those who are getting all verklempt at just the thought of me downing one of these pervocopters, what justification are you imagining for somebody to be flying one in my yard at a height that permits the owner to be peeping through windows? How _is_ that different from some skeevy voyeur using a ladder and a camera to fill his hunger for wank-fodder? I own a two story house on a double lot in an old mill town. Anything you need to see you can see on Google Earth. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493/47 "2015-02-03T16:55:13Z")
I think it would be more fun to shoot one down with your own RPV. (Remotely Piloted Vehicle, an initialism that I thought I just made up, but apparently is common). Maybe have one that drops a big net, then you could mount your trophy on the wall of your den. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493/48 "2015-02-03T17:14:47Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > For those who are getting all verklempt at just the thought of me downing one of these pervocopters, what justification are you imagining for somebody to be flying one in my yard at a height that permits the owner to be peeping through windows? How _is_ that different from some skeevy voyeur using a ladder and a camera to fill his hunger for wank-fodder? > I own a two story house on a double lot in an old mill town. Anything you need to see you can see on Google Earth. I’m not searching for justification for the guy flying the machine. I’m mocking your reaction. Do you threaten to shoot people you see that have cameras and binoculars? They might be watching you! Would you shoot someone in a tree not on your property? How about someone walking too slowly past your house, looking at it? Driving by? I posted mostly because of your over the top reaction. Shooting a shotgun into the air is dangerous in a city. Those pellets gotta come down somewhere. And of course, there is the stupidity of shooting something that is recording your actions. They can show the video at your trial. Best to just follow the copter back and thrash the owner in person. Hypothetically. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493/49 "2015-02-03T17:18:50Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Serious answer: Goose loads. 3 or 3.5 12 gauge shells. I honestly don’t know if rock-salt carries at any distance or if they even sell those shells anymore. The drop-back of salt has to be less dangerous than lead though. As for the police? “It was shot down. See? In the crumpled wreck there’s rock salt all over it…” “Rock salt…?” “Yeppers…!” “Like what people put out on walks and driveways?” “Uh-Huuuuh…” “Like what the town sprays on the street because its, you know, winter…?” “Uh-Huuuuh…” “Like whats all over the ground up and down the street where it crashed?” “But he Shot it…!” “But he says he didn’t. I didn’t see it. I don’t see anything here that shows that either.” “But…but…but… that was $1500…!” “Yeah? Maybe TYCO sells one cheaper.” “Its the **Scumpup** R/C Recreational Skeet Shoot 2015! All funds support Right To Privacy, LLC” ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493/50 "2015-02-03T17:20:30Z")
Net guns. If the cops show up, tell them you were hunting grouse. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493/51 "2015-02-03T17:20:56Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I’m not searching for justification for the guy flying the machine. I’m mocking your reaction. Do you threaten to shoot people you see that have cameras and binoculars? They might be watching you! Would you shoot someone in a tree not on your property? How about someone walking too slowly past your house, looking at it? Driving by? > > I posted mostly because of your over the top reaction. Shooting a shotgun into the air is dangerous in a city. Those pellets gotta come down somewhere. > > And of course, there is the stupidity of shooting something that is recording your actions. They can show the video at your trial. > > Best to just follow the copter back and thrash the owner in person. Hypothetically. I don’t own a shotgun, nor did I mention one in this thread. In fact, the only gun I mentioned at all is a paintball gun and I don’t own one of those either. All I said was that I would destroy the drone. Everything else, you came up with yourself. I have never said this on the internet before, but I believe you owe me an apology. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493/52 "2015-02-03T17:22:55Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > I think it would be more fun to shoot one down with your own RPV. (Remotely Piloted Vehicle, an initialism that I thought I just made up, but apparently is common). > > Maybe have one that drops a big net, then you could mount your trophy on the wall of your den. I like that. Air-to-air combat. With the camera in your own attack copter, you can record the combat. Post it on youtube every time you make a kill. I like it! You don’t even have to actually hit it - just fly at it until the owner makes a mistake and crashes it himself. It’s a “moral equivalency” - if the owner is arguing that he has a right to overfly your house, you have a right to fly there, too. Sorry there wasn’t room for both copters, buddy. Just don’t cause the “pervocopter” to crash into someone. The lawsuit (or criminal prosecution) would take away the fun. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493/53 "2015-02-03T17:30:39Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > I don’t own a shotgun, nor did I mention one in this thread. In fact, the only gun I mentioned at all is a paintball gun and I don’t own one of those either. All I said was that I would destroy the drone. Everything else, you came up with yourself. I have never said this on the internet before, but I believe you owe me an apology. You know, you’re right. You never said shotgun. That was others. My bad. Just paintball guns for you. Maybe. You must have been going to throw a net, or rocks, or some other unspecified method to destroy it. Maybe jump up and grab it. Maybe radio jammers. You never said. But you never said shotgun it. I apologize. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493/54 "2015-02-03T17:36:23Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > You know, you’re right. You never said shotgun. That was others. My bad. Just paintball guns for you. Maybe. > > You must have been going to throw a net, or rocks, or some other unspecified method to destroy it. Maybe jump up and grab it. Maybe radio jammers. You never said. > > But you never said shotgun it. I apologize. Determined that you still have to “win” the thread, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493/55 "2015-02-03T17:57:32Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > I don’t own a shotgun, nor did I mention one in this thread. In fact, the only gun I mentioned at all is a paintball gun and I don’t own one of those either. All I said was that I would destroy the drone. Everything else, you came up with yourself. I have never said this on the internet before, but I believe you owe me an apology. Ok, sorry. I don’t have one either. So throw ice cubes at it. Civil damages seem like a misdemeanor at best, limited to the price of the item. Civil damages the Other way might include invasion of privacy & mental anguish damages. Those damages alone seem like they could Bury the copter cost. INAL, but some people have said that Criminal should always precede civil. So… Criminal Trial? Throwing ice cubes might be a misdemeanor, making the prosecutor yawn. But, camera shots through windows, like bathroom windows, in a house with children? I wonder what prosecutor would turn down some nice juicy “Child-Porn” charges… coupled with Distribution of child porn, if it auto-uploads to any cloud anywhere. That seems like an automatic permanent listing on the “Sex Offender” registry too. And I just Know it’d make the evening news somewhere. “Neckbeard Pervert running R/C “Perv Cam” charged by local authorities today. Pictures of a local family taking showers and using a toilet were up-loaded repeatedly and included both adults and children as young as five. Google is cooperating and has indicated at least 500 separate instances of nude images uploaded of subjects unaware they were being photographed, which is illegal under the “Peeping Tom” provision of the trespassing statute in this state. Prosecutors are pressing for all criminal time to be served consecutively per charge. Back to you, Jim.” ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493/56 "2015-02-03T18:32:56Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > camera shots through windows, like bathroom windows, in a house with children? > [/SIZE] The odds that anybody would want to peep at me are pretty low, but I do have a wife and two daughters. One of the daughters is only 13. I cannot ascribe anything but the basest motives to anybody flying one at window-peeping height around my house. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493/57 "2015-02-03T19:26:51Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > The odds that anybody would want to peep at me are pretty low, but I do have a wife and two daughters. One of the daughters is only 13. I cannot ascribe anything but the basest motives to anybody flying one at window-peeping height around my house. Serious question (not trying to “win” the thread): Ho many times have you seen this? Genuinely curious. I’ve never seen any flying around at all, let alone window height. But different parts of the country are different. Maybe it’s more common that it seems to me. I’m picturing them just flying around, at random altitudes, not obviously peeping. That would still be annoying, but not necessarily perverse. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493/58 "2015-02-03T19:36:26Z")
There is one person in my neighborhood who I know for sure has one. He is a rather sketchy character in his early 20’s. He hangs around a lot with my neighbor’s kids, themselves pretty sketchy, although they are several years younger than he is. I do not trust him. ---
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493/59 "2015-02-03T21:35:59Z")
Let’s create the analogous situation without the drone. There is a rusty panel van in the street across for your house. It says “free candy” on it. There is a creepy man with a telephoto lens on a massive camera, and a FLIR, aimed at your house, inside the van. You do not have the right to shoot that man no matter how blatantly creepy this is, so long as the only crime he is committing is the photo taking from a public street. In fact, if you were to exit your house, shotgun in hand, in many states the man could blow you away with his own gun and get off scott free - especially since he’s got you threatening him illegally with lethal force in HD on his creep-o-vision camera. You have to call the proper authorities and hope they respond. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493/60 "2015-02-03T21:44:35Z")
**Habeed** , I’ll leave you to your hypothetical death threats, which the board may or may not someday enforce. Have a nice day. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-those-rc-quad-copter-drones/711493.md?page=4)