Originally Posted by
Photonic
Regarding private use of firearms to down drones over private property, it's not always as simple as defending your vertical airspace. In a crowded suburban environment, unless you're shooting straight overhead, then you might be lobbing projectiles into a neighbor's yard..
For the private person defending their own property, there is a possible issue that you would need to have appropriate warnings at or near the boundary etc, as the drone that you are shooting at is obviously a discovered trespass, and that means that there is a duty of care under common law in many jurisdictions. Personally, I think that it makes for great sport, but the shot needs to be pretty fine to make sure no one else gets hurt on the far side.
There is an old precedent of a neighbour shooting across one property and getting a target on the next one over. The case was supposedly one of trespass of the property in the middle, hazy on the details.
drones make great observation posts, and are pretty useful as weapons. Defence from them is now gathering steam, with some neat technology that is already rolled out in places where it is worthwhile to have it. Overall, they make for a fascinating disruption to tactical ops. They also have great utility for contraband activities, enough to mess up a lot of basic assumptions that border protection rely on today. All the hallmarks of a techno arms race.