Sorry Wyoming, You Can’t Shoot That Drone – BUT!

With all the stories about drone sitings in states like New Jersey, there are sure to be folks in America's most well-armed state who would love to take a shot at one.

Well - about that.

FIRST - If you see a drone, despite the hype, chances are it is totally innocent.

DO NOT PANIC. Someone is just having fun flying the thing.

But what if it is one of those rare cases when it is not innocent?

Sorry, but it is illegal to destroy somebody else's property in Wyoming, and any other state.

The more expensive the item you destroy the higher the financial penalties and the longer the jail time.

But hold on - what if that drone is over your property?

That would depend on how far above your property that drone is.

You do not own all the way up to the Moon.

Aircraft are allowed to fly above a set altitude, even over your property.

According to legal precedent, a property owner generally owns the airspace directly above their land only to the extent that it can be "reasonably used in connection with the land," which is typically considered to be around 500 feet above the ground in urban areas and 360 feet in rural areas, though the exact height can be debated depending on the situation and local laws; beyond that, the airspace is considered navigable airspace controlled by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Okay, so what if that drone is flying just 100 feet above the ground in your backyard?

Can you shoot it?

Well, about that...

Should you miss, or the bullet passes through the drone, where is that shot going to land?

If you live within a city limit it would be a bad idea. There are common sense laws against shooting guns in rural areas, especially in the air. What goes up must come down and that bullet could kill someone a long way off.

Scatter guns are better for shooting drones but there are still local laws against shooting those things into the air.

So what can a property owner do?

Forget the drone - WHERE IS THE PILOT?

If you see a drone you can believe a pilot is nearby.

If you suspect someone is trespassing and snooping on you, call the police, shoot a video with your phone, and keep an eye on it.

Drone batteries do not last very long. The typical battery time for most drones is about a half-hour.

When the batter gets low the drone will automatically head back to where it came from.

FOLLOW IT!

The average drone can fly one mile away from its pilot.

Very expensive ones can fly over 5 miles away. But that's unusual.

No matter how far that thing needs to get back to its owner at some point and you can follow it.

Let the police handle it from there.