With the recent drone shooting in Norfork, Arkansas members of the drone community have been wondering if drones and other UAV’s are federally protected from criminal destruction.

Since the FAA classifies drones as aircraft it would make sense that they would have the protection. To add to this the FAA holds their operation to many of the same standards.

With at least a dozen shootings of drones reported with no federal prosecution the question of their federally-protected status remained open. Today the FAA confirmed that shooting down a drone(UAV) is indeed a federal crime. They cited 18 USC 32, a statute making it a felony to damage an aircraft intentionally or due to negligence.

Loretta Alkalay, an attorney specializing in aviation law who also teaches Drone Law at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, said that the statute prohibits interfering with anyone “engaged in the authorized operation of such aircraft”. This act can carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Because drones are considered aircraft threatening a drone or a drone operator would also be a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison.

It’s time to put an end to these reckless uses of guns and criminally prosecute people shooting at unmanned aircraft. This recent case in Arkansas is a perfect place to start.

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