FAA Warns That Firing On A Drone Could Lead To Fines, Other Penalties

There's a small town in Colorado that emphatically does not want government-owned unmanned aircraft flying overhead. The town of Deer Trail, CO, is considering passing an ordinance that would allow for the issuance of hunting permits for drones.

The text of the ordinance states "The Town of Deer Trail shall issue a reward of $100 to any shooter who presents a valid hunting license and  … identifiable parts of an unmanned aerial vehicle whose markings and configuration are consistent with those used on any similar craft known to be owned or operated by the United States federal government."

Television station KJRH reports that Phillip Steele, the Deer Trail resident who drafted the ordinance, admits that it is "symbolic." He told a reporter from the station that he has never seen a drone flying over the town. But he said he is strongly against the concept of drones flying in U.S. airspace potentially conducting surveillance on citizens.

If it is passed, the license would cost $25.

The online news aggregator The Blaze reports that the FAA is not particularly amused by the proposed ordinance. The agency said in a statement that a drone that is hit by gunfire "could crash, causing damage to persons or property on the ground, or it could collide with other objects in the air. Shooting at an unmanned aircraft could result in criminal or civil liability, just as would firing at a manned airplane.”

FMI: www.deertrailcolorado.org, www.faa.gov