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It's relatively easy to shoot down a drone, you can do it with birdshot. The problem would be falling debris and the safety hazard that represents. Might be a m

It's relatively easy to shoot down a drone, you can do it with birdshot. The problem would be falling debris and the safety hazard that represents. Might be a moot point in cases of fire, but in general that would be a pretty specialized startup around a task that a basic shotgun would already excel at.

_iyig 7y ago
Birdshot is effective against drones, but only within a few hundred meters: https://www.northeastshooters.com/xen/threads/how-far-will-birdshot-go-as-in-clay-pigeon-shooting.250869/ https://www.northeastshooters.com/xen/threads/how-far-will-b...
- Enginerrrd 7y ago
  There's a very big difference between the maximum distance an individual pellet of birdshot will go (which is still likely less than 300 yards at its maximal ballistic trajectory)and the "effective range" which is usually defined something like 'the maximum range at which accurate fire will produce a 50% hit probability'. For birdshot, that's usually considered to be around 40 yards for a bird. A drone would probably be similar.
reaperducer 7y ago
you can do it with birdshot. You can also do with with a bird. https://time.com/4675164/drone-hunting-eagles/ https://time.com/4675164/drone-hunting-eagles/ (Awesome picture in the link of an eagle sinking its talons into a drone mid-flight.)
- sitkack 7y ago
  It is inhumane to use birds to take down drones. The rotors can easily mame or kill even a large bird
  - rkagerer 7y ago
    My intent isn't to engage in argument with you, but I'm curious, by that line of reasoning do you feel the same about K9 dogs used to take down criminals who may be armed?
    - m0zg 7y ago
      Not the OP, but K9 is the alternative to using a human for the same purpose. Birds in this case were suggested as an alternative to using a $1 shotgun shell.
      - catalogia 7y ago
        The birds are theoretically a lot more capable. Birdshot from a shotgun won't work well if the drone is trying to avoid it by flying a bit too high, too far away, too fast, etc. A bird of prey stands to be a lot more successful if the drone pilot isn't trying to make things easy. The risk to the bird shouldn't be ignored. It seems to me the use of birds in this way is most defensible when human lives are plausibly on the line, such as when drones are negatively impacting firefighting efforts.
        m0zg 7y ago
        The first time I tried to fly a drone I broke all four of its rotors and _scratched the glass_ on my patio door. A bird would almost certainly be severely hurt by the rotors. You can't seriously make the argument in favor of using birds. In fact, if there is an argument to be made here it's in favor of the drone immediately powering down the rotors if it notices a bird approaching.
        catalogia 7y ago
        It seems plausible to me that a bird of prey could learn how to attack drones from safe angles; I don't think a bird would necessarily be hurt by the drone, but I concede that it's a highly possible outcome. Restricting the use of anti-drone birds to scenarios where human lives are on the line seems like a reasonable compromise, and I do seriously make this argument. I'd further consider it reasonable to hold the drone pilot legally accountable for any harm to the bird.
catalogia 7y ago
Falling birdshot is harmless, it has a low terminal velocity. When it falls on dry leaves in the fall, it sounds like rain. The falling drone might hurt though. It conceivably might even start another fire if the battery took some damage.
- wang_li 7y ago
  >It conceivably might even start another fire if the battery took some damage. What you're saying is that all drones should be grounded if the fire risk is high.
  - catalogia 7y ago
    Maybe? I'm not sure. I don't know enough about the typical failure modes of a drone to say whether fire is a likely outcome. But I think the battery pack getting blasted by a shotgun stands a good chance of bringing out the worst failure modes.
Balgair 7y ago
DO NOT DO THIS. 1: Missed bullets/shot may kill your friends and neighbors [0]. Especially in densely populated sub/urban environments. 2: Many drones use LiPo batteries. When punctured, LiPo batteries may catch fire [1]. You stand a good chance of starting even more fires if you shoot at drones. Congrats, you have likely made things worse. If you are thinking of shooting at a drone: STOP. Put down the firearm and pick up the phone. Call the police. Then call your state and local representatives[2]. Then call your neighbors. Organize and vote. Pass laws, not ammo. [0] https://web.archive.org/web/20070928000018/http://ats.ctsnetjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/83/1/283 https://web.archive.org/web/20070928000018/http://ats.ctsnet... [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUFxlf4fXjo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUFxlf4fXjo [2] https://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/ https://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/
- RandomBacon 7y ago
  Falling birdshot is not going to harm anyone unless it gets in their eye. It's like tiny pebbles, not a slug which you're probably thinking of.
  - Balgair 7y ago
    I agree, birdshot is very unlikely to harm anyone. All missed shot are unlikely to harm, in fact. Larger things like buckshot would be more likely to harm others, though still it's very low. Actual bullets like 45, 223, 22, or 9mm, accounting for ~50% (1/2) of most sold calibers in the US in 2015 [0], will do some real damage. Shotgun gauges only account for ~12% (1/8) of the calibers sold. All said, it is still MUCH safer to not shoot at a drone at all. Let the local police take cafe of it. Heck, get a super-soaker or something kind of water-ballon slingshot, if you must. [0] http://knowledgeglue.com/what-are-the-most-popular-calibers-in-the-us/ http://knowledgeglue.com/what-are-the-most-popular-calibers-...
- asdfasgasdgasdg 7y ago
  Surely it goes without saying that private citizens should not discharge firearms aimed at another person's property? I mean literally there is no need to say it, as it's extraordinarily unlikely that the person you're responding to or anyone else on this site is foolish enough to do that. Yeah, there is a YouTube video here and there of some idiot shooting at a drone. But it seems unlikely that this is a rampant phenomenon, seeing as how it's illegal and probably a felony in most places. E.g. I don't know if a drone counts as an "aircraft" under NY state law, but it's a class E felony to discharge a firearm at an unoccupied aircraft here (1 1/2-4 years in prison). Edit: oops, 18 USC 32 imposes a maximum of twenty years for sabotage of an aircraft anywhere in the USA, and apparently the USG has been interpreting this to include drones. Note that this law also applies to local and state law enforcement. Only the feds are allowed to deploy anti-aircraft technology. https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/88696-before-you-pull-the-trigger-the-legal-implications-of-shooting-down-a-drone https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/88696-before-you-p...

_iyig 7y ago

Birdshot is effective against drones, but only within a few hundred meters: https://www.northeastshooters.com/xen/threads/how-far-will-birdshot-go-as-in-clay-pigeon-shooting.250869/ https://www.northeastshooters.com/xen/threads/how-far-will-b...

Enginerrrd 7y ago
There's a very big difference between the maximum distance an individual pellet of birdshot will go (which is still likely less than 300 yards at its maximal ballistic trajectory)and the "effective range" which is usually defined something like 'the maximum range at which accurate fire will produce a 50% hit probability'. For birdshot, that's usually considered to be around 40 yards for a bird. A drone would probably be similar.

reaperducer 7y ago

you can do it with birdshot. You can also do with with a bird. https://time.com/4675164/drone-hunting-eagles/ https://time.com/4675164/drone-hunting-eagles/ (Awesome picture in the link of an eagle sinking its talons into a drone mid-flight.)

sitkack 7y ago
It is inhumane to use birds to take down drones. The rotors can easily mame or kill even a large bird
- rkagerer 7y ago
  My intent isn't to engage in argument with you, but I'm curious, by that line of reasoning do you feel the same about K9 dogs used to take down criminals who may be armed?
  - m0zg 7y ago
    Not the OP, but K9 is the alternative to using a human for the same purpose. Birds in this case were suggested as an alternative to using a $1 shotgun shell.
    - catalogia 7y ago
      The birds are theoretically a lot more capable. Birdshot from a shotgun won't work well if the drone is trying to avoid it by flying a bit too high, too far away, too fast, etc. A bird of prey stands to be a lot more successful if the drone pilot isn't trying to make things easy. The risk to the bird shouldn't be ignored. It seems to me the use of birds in this way is most defensible when human lives are plausibly on the line, such as when drones are negatively impacting firefighting efforts.
      - m0zg 7y ago
        The first time I tried to fly a drone I broke all four of its rotors and _scratched the glass_ on my patio door. A bird would almost certainly be severely hurt by the rotors. You can't seriously make the argument in favor of using birds. In fact, if there is an argument to be made here it's in favor of the drone immediately powering down the rotors if it notices a bird approaching.
        catalogia 7y ago
        It seems plausible to me that a bird of prey could learn how to attack drones from safe angles; I don't think a bird would necessarily be hurt by the drone, but I concede that it's a highly possible outcome. Restricting the use of anti-drone birds to scenarios where human lives are on the line seems like a reasonable compromise, and I do seriously make this argument. I'd further consider it reasonable to hold the drone pilot legally accountable for any harm to the bird.

catalogia 7y ago

Falling birdshot is harmless, it has a low terminal velocity. When it falls on dry leaves in the fall, it sounds like rain. The falling drone might hurt though. It conceivably might even start another fire if the battery took some damage.

wang_li 7y ago
>It conceivably might even start another fire if the battery took some damage. What you're saying is that all drones should be grounded if the fire risk is high.
- catalogia 7y ago
  Maybe? I'm not sure. I don't know enough about the typical failure modes of a drone to say whether fire is a likely outcome. But I think the battery pack getting blasted by a shotgun stands a good chance of bringing out the worst failure modes.

Balgair 7y ago

DO NOT DO THIS. 1: Missed bullets/shot may kill your friends and neighbors [0]. Especially in densely populated sub/urban environments. 2: Many drones use LiPo batteries. When punctured, LiPo batteries may catch fire [1]. You stand a good chance of starting even more fires if you shoot at drones. Congrats, you have likely made things worse. If you are thinking of shooting at a drone: STOP. Put down the firearm and pick up the phone. Call the police. Then call your state and local representatives[2]. Then call your neighbors. Organize and vote. Pass laws, not ammo. [0] https://web.archive.org/web/20070928000018/http://ats.ctsnetjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/83/1/283 https://web.archive.org/web/20070928000018/http://ats.ctsnet... [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUFxlf4fXjo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUFxlf4fXjo [2] https://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/ https://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/

RandomBacon 7y ago
Falling birdshot is not going to harm anyone unless it gets in their eye. It's like tiny pebbles, not a slug which you're probably thinking of.
- Balgair 7y ago
  I agree, birdshot is very unlikely to harm anyone. All missed shot are unlikely to harm, in fact. Larger things like buckshot would be more likely to harm others, though still it's very low. Actual bullets like 45, 223, 22, or 9mm, accounting for ~50% (1/2) of most sold calibers in the US in 2015 [0], will do some real damage. Shotgun gauges only account for ~12% (1/8) of the calibers sold. All said, it is still MUCH safer to not shoot at a drone at all. Let the local police take cafe of it. Heck, get a super-soaker or something kind of water-ballon slingshot, if you must. [0] http://knowledgeglue.com/what-are-the-most-popular-calibers-in-the-us/ http://knowledgeglue.com/what-are-the-most-popular-calibers-...
asdfasgasdgasdg 7y ago
Surely it goes without saying that private citizens should not discharge firearms aimed at another person's property? I mean literally there is no need to say it, as it's extraordinarily unlikely that the person you're responding to or anyone else on this site is foolish enough to do that. Yeah, there is a YouTube video here and there of some idiot shooting at a drone. But it seems unlikely that this is a rampant phenomenon, seeing as how it's illegal and probably a felony in most places. E.g. I don't know if a drone counts as an "aircraft" under NY state law, but it's a class E felony to discharge a firearm at an unoccupied aircraft here (1 1/2-4 years in prison). Edit: oops, 18 USC 32 imposes a maximum of twenty years for sabotage of an aircraft anywhere in the USA, and apparently the USG has been interpreting this to include drones. Note that this law also applies to local and state law enforcement. Only the feds are allowed to deploy anti-aircraft technology. https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/88696-before-you-pull-the-trigger-the-legal-implications-of-shooting-down-a-drone https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/88696-before-you-p...