After reports of domestic spying surfaced, and the possibility that drone aircraft might be used to carry out surveillance of Americans, many reacted violently. This led to what was initially considered an absurd suggestion that “drone hunting” should be legalized. However, several jurisdictions have actually made movement in the direction of issuing permits to shoot surveillance aircraft out of the sky.
“Drone” is the term used to generically describe unmanned aircraft used to carry out various tasks. In military use, drones have been used largely for intelligence gathering and as unmanned attack aircraft. After the revelation of domestic spying programs, largely after leaks from organizations like WikiLeaks and former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden, many have turned a weary eye toward the federal government. Thus, when a number of state and federal agencies began discussing plans to use unmanned aircraft for surveillance, a number of citizens became upset. Many see this as another step in the erosion of Americans' right to privacy, while others feel it is a legitimate means of monitoring activity in public places where one would generally have no reasonable expectation of privacy.
Regardless of which side of the debate one agrees with, it is clear that the idea of government surveillance of American citizens raises very strong feelings. And, as a result, those feelings have been transformed into political action in a handful of jurisdictions. Once tossed out as a joke, the notion of “drone hunting” has caught on as a potentially legitimate activity. A Colorado town even won court approval for a measure it wished to place on the ballot for a special election. If passed, such laws would theoretically allow the jurisdiction to issue a “drone hunting” permit to interested parties who could then shoot the unmanned aircraft down, though presumably only in unpopulated areas where other hunting activities would normally be permitted.
Of course, such local laws would directly conflict with federal laws not only authorizing the use of unmanned aircraft in American airspace, but also specific uses and missions for drones. Indeed, the proposed legislation has systematically drawn stern warnings from federal agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) which has pointed out that firing at any aircraft, even an unmanned one, is a federal crime. What's more, chances are that most drones would be seen flying over populated areas, not rural locations where there is nothing significant to observe, so the permits would be either largely pointless political statements or, if not narrowly tailored, could lead to extensive damage to property and injuries or deaths resulting from falling debris or stray bullets.
Consequently, while gaining the momentum of legitimate legislation, it is unlikely that “drone hunting” will ever be legal in the United States. In fact, such measures are probably destined to be little more than political statements regarding the loss of privacy in America, as actual “drone hunting” would violate federal laws and potentially subject the population to extreme danger. Thus, if you are considering doing anything more than shooting paper airplanes out of the sky with rubber bands, you should probably reconsider. If in doubt, speak with a local attorney prior to taking any action to shoot down drones or, better yet, before spending money on a permit that is likely to be completely worthless.
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