Midnight Drones Flying Over CO Plains
General Topic
Last weekend our guests took a midnight walk around my property, and spotted a drone flying low over my house. They said the drone would periodically flash, as if taking pictures. Two days later, the local news reported that at least 16 drones were spotted flying late night in 2 other eastern plains counties that same weekend. Hmmm.....
We have reported our sighting to the local sheriff, but they are stumped about the possible motives for the mysterious late night flights. It seems more than pure coincidence that so many drones would be spotted on the same night in multiple counties.
I have to admit, it's caused my wife and I a little consternation. I'm tempted to do a midnight drone hunt with my 12 gauge. Any ideas of what might be going on?
Matt
Drone hunting sounds like a fine idea. I'd like to shoot one for the wall myself.
That is unsettling Matt. Can’t add any info except to say I wish you luck on the “snipe” hunt and hope you post a follow up if/when you get some answers on this.
Do you ever get that feeling someone or something is watching you....;)
Jeff, I'm just trying to grow big bucks in my backyard. I have 3" #6s, but I think #4s might be more appropriate.
Matt
It's the government looking for illegal grows?
Nothing growing outdoors in eastern CO this time of year, other than winter wheat, perhaps.
Matt
Do they call you "Heisenberg"?
;-)
That's funny, midwest.
Actually, my area is probably one of the least likely to have illegal drug operations. I'm surrounded by large cattle ranches owned and operated by people who cling to bibles, guns, and MAGA caps. ;-)
Matt
Porch pirates using drones for recon? Seems theft is out of control. Just a guess.
I have a box of Remington Drone Loads. That is what it says right on the box of 12 ga shells. My cousin was in his tree stand last week when one came right over him. He said if he had his muzzle loader, instead of his bow, he would have tried it. He said it was pretty good size and very noisy.
I'm not a conspiracy theorists by any means, but I find it hard to believe that 17-plus drones would be spotted on the same night, in 3 different counties, unless it was some sort of coordinated effort. I've never seen one around here even in daylight, let alone buzzing my house in the middle of the night.
Matt
Strange things happen a buddy of mine was a marine police for several years they were training, shooting at a target range on the sea side of the Eastern Shore of VA. When 8 navy seals they assumed came out of the ocean walked past them like they wernt there no nothing acknowledgement whatsoever went into the woods & a few minutes later a helicopter picked them up in a field on the other side of the woods
I don’t know what CO laws are in connection with drones, but in East Texas, the SSS law would apply. What they don’t know won’t hurt them.
I’d say if they are flying at night they must be up to no good. That’s just strange. My dad used to hot load 3” lead #2’s for long shots at late season pheasants. 60+ yards with a 30 some year old Mossberg. That thing would leave my shoulder black and blue. And my gun wouldn’t even eject the hot shells. I guess it was not seasoned like his!
Shooting a drone is a felony under Federal law.
Just to cover your ass, You might contact the Colorado town of Deer Trail, as two years ago, the City Council approved the issuance of a Drone License for just that purpose. my best, Paul
"Any laws being broken?"
Yes, in my case they were flying lower than the 500' minimum for navigable air space. So, they were trespassing. At least that's how I understand FAA and Colorado law.
Matt
Not to mention drones are not allowed ABOVE a certain height either. A drone should NEVER be flying above your house let alone personal property.
You shoot one down they’re coming in your house, teepee or double wide Teeter.
Little hint they take incredible photos at nite. We have a device thats man portable that will drop every Low Alt UAV within line of sight and crash it. We US has a man portable device that van jam every cel phone within line of sight. These are just tactical level devices. US has much larger ones that can keep everything on ground in a city sized AO.
Was prolly the Grich flying to rob you uo in Front Range Hooville.
K
If it wasn't obvious to those with half a brain cell, I was just joking about shooting a drone down. But I do believe the drone and its operator were trespassing under current law. If this was a military operation, I have no problem with it. I'd just like to know.
BTW, anonymous poster Shawn Magyar, I'm at least 1-1/2 hours east of the front range of Colorado. You'd probably like my area. We can open carry almost everywhere, and crime rates are lower than most of CO, and elsewhere.
Matt
This has been going on for over a week. Most of them are flying methodical grids but one parked over a small town for the whole night a couple nights ago. So far no clues as to who. Someone tried to follow one a couple nights ago but ran out of gas. These are big, 6' commercial-type machines.
Lou, where are you getting your info? I'd like to learn more.
Matt
Interesting. Something to do with oil Industry maybe?
Looking for the best wolves reintroduction path?
Pfft... it’s not a crime until someone gets convicted. If a drone was high enough to he legal a shotgun wouldn’t be able to hit it. SSS!
Personal drones operate no higher than 400' AGL. Commercial and Govt drones are a whole different deal. We make a bunch of parts for the ScanEagle drone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wSQSDi__-Q
OK, I'm going off of the conspiracy theory deep end with this, but perhaps Amazon, or some other major package carrier is mapping out possible drone delivery options in rural areas?
Matt
There was a big article in yesterday's Denver Post about it. I'll see if I can find a link.
Very weird. Weird that it’s at night only?
If the government isn’t fessing up, surly they wouldn’t mind if you shot one down! “It’s for National Security”!
A theory....these are mineral or oil companies doing scans looking for deposits. One of the contractors working on our WWII MIA case uses heavy lift drones with fancy sensors on them that will penetrate below the surface. Below is from one of their emails. Doing it at night might be to operate low key or because cooler surface temps aid in sensor performance. If it's not for commercial purposes, then I'd go with a govt org surveying for something.
"Thanks to the development of cutting edge heavy lift drones equipped with LIDAR, GPR and Magnetometry systems, new revelatory information has been discovered by our team at Arctic Hot Point Solutions. This proprietary research, garnered by deploying advanced technological UAV flights, along with newly discovered historical information, has pinpointed the crash site of the U. S. Coast Guard J2F Duck aircraft near Koge Bay, Greenland. This new location will now be a point to search for our missing servicemen."
Some of the comments...lol.
"they're searching for intelligent life...they gave up on denver and boulder"
Lou,
Your link isn't working for me. It displays briefly, then re-directs to a different article.
Matt
Matt
Just google Denver Post Drones and that article comes up
Another thought is there is a drone manufacture there that is doing some R&D.
Why would multiple commercial drones be mapping rural areas a week before Christmas, if it wasn't for data pertaining to commercial drone deliveries?
just saying....
Matt
Matt, I'm just throwing out some reasonable possibilities. Based on Jaq's article he linked to, that many drones flying a square pattern (search area??) is a coordinated effort with a purpose. What is that purpose?....I suppose it will come out in the news one of these days.
LOL. I love how an anonymous poster from Hawaii/Tennessee, or who knows elsewhere, knows more about Colorado than a native of the state, who proudly posts his real name.
Matt Teter
Higher courts have ruled that you DO OWN the air space to a certain level above your property. As a property owner you do have an expectation of privacy....this even goes as far as your neighbors or police peering over your fence, let alone flying a drone over it.
I think someone shot a big buck out there and made a less than perfect shot. He hired drones to help find the deer. Might have been a pheasant thought they can be tough to find in that thick CRP.
Actually John, Pat's Kansas outfitter illegally searched for wounded deer with a drone on Pat's "live Kansas Hunt" this year... precious little disccussion about that.
Matt
Are these drones possibly from Michigan?
Might it be Google updating pics...although nighttime doesn’t seem to fit that idea
Here ya go Matt.......Maybe someone will go in with you on a full case so you can get a better deal!
Here ya go Matt.......Maybe someone will go in with you on a full case so you can get a better deal!
This Bowsite shuts down an NRA thread and keeps this?
NRA is one of the only hunters rights Orgs that spends $ in Court for Bowhunting rights period.
If the GVT left issues up to CO with amount of Liberal Leaf Lickers that have migrated in would Be known as the "Be No" state. Be No Services, Be no Common Sense, Be No Law, Be No Public Land.
K~
I think we should cut a deal where we give up the right to ownership of any airspace above private property.
Would that not enable us to hop corners from public to public in areas with checkerboarded private properties? Yee haw!
There seems to be no reason to what threads get shut down or get to stay. I know, the rules clearly state it is at the discretion of the mods.
Is this subject offensive to anyone? If so, I'm fine with the moderators shutting it down.
Thanks to the guys who offered legitimate ideas and information.
Matt
Its a useless Bowsite topic.
How do I become a Moderator? Don't be skeered fellers. What's the Rhode Island Rodeo Clowns gonna do to ya?
Kana~
Plenty of air space maps out there. Should be pretty easy to see if this location in a military air space. I'm not real sure about specific military rules, but where I live you don't see them training outside of the boundaries.
"Shooting a drone is a felony under Federal law."
So is invading my privacy...well, it should be anyway. Fly one over my house and I hope you have stock in super glue; you're gonna need it..
Not sure why anyone would be worried about "privacy concerns" when they own a Smart phone, a Smart TV, a Smart refrigerator, a Ring doorbell or a Alexa device in their home....lmao. You are being spied on constantly.
Catscratch,
The drones have been spotted in 3 different counties on the eastern plains of Colorado, not in military air space. They are flying a systematic grid pattern of about 25 miles. They are large commercial sized drones, so it's not likely hobbyists playing with their new Christmas toys.
The Federal Aviation Administration, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Army Forces Command all claim to know nothing about the drone flights. Local authorities are still stumped over who is operating them.
Matt
The Russians? The Chinese?
"Not sure why anyone would be worried about "privacy concerns" when they own a Smart phone, a Smart TV, a Smart refrigerator, a Ring doorbell or a Alexa device in their home....lmao. You are being spied on constantly."
EXACTLY....and that's the main reason why I don't own any of those items!
Actually, "smart" phone is a misnomer. SPY phone is FAR more accurate!
I wouldn't be surprised if one day after you leave the bathroom you start getting ads for Charmin on your spyphone.
Has less to do with being spied on and everything to do with it being irritating. Go fly it in your own backyard! I don't ride my enduro in your backyard, so don't fly your drone in mine. Common courtesy I think it used to be called.
Cuz he's a HempHead no doubt. Was bounced for military service and LW.
Been building bows longer than the hemper has been shooting one. He went radio listening silence in 2006 on LW when he got the Kiwi Ejection Boot.
Kana~
Funny how some people wouldn't tolerate a trespasser peering thru their window, but they don't seem to have a problem with a drone doing the same thing.
Matt
"Its a useless Bowsite topic. How do I become a Moderator? Don't be skeered fellers. What's the Rhode Island Rodeo Clowns gonna do to ya?"
Sh!t dude, you're one of the reasons the CF was shut down. Every thread turns into the same bravo sierra with your nonsensical ramblings. Charlie, Pat, Phil....someone please take out the trash. Seems there's never an issue applying the ban-hammer to long term posters that HAVE actually contributed to the Bowsite community.
Woodswalker, whatever device you are using to post on bowsite is spying on you.
Geeze Hedgehunter..... If you don’t like the thread... Don’t click on it. I think invasive drones is a relevant bowhunting topic. There are several other threads that are much less relevant to bowhunting that are allowed to stay.
"NRA is one of the only hunters rights Orgs that spends $ in Court for Bowhunting rights period" Really?? How about their behavior of pushing crossbow legislation in states that did not have a crossbow inclusion in the archery season. One of the main reasons a lot of my bowhunting friends and family no longer have NRA membership. Pissed off many a P &Y member too.
If you want to know who is fighting for hunting rights its not the NRA its the US Sportsmans Alliance or USSA. They authored most if not all of the hunter anti-harassment language in the state statutes and made sure it became law in all 50 states. They fight the anti's in court on a routine basis, every sportsman owes them a little of their time and or at least a small financial donation.
As far as drones: I spotted my first drone about 8 years ago in a Wildlife refuge only open to archery and small game. Was pre-dawn and it took off out of a corn field at low altitude when I approached it with my vehicle on a dirt road. Couldn't chase it very far on the dirt but could certainly tell the operator knew I had spotted it hovering over the refuge.
"Charlie, Pat, Phil....someone please take out the trash."
Worth repeating.
Matt
Tell that POS buddy Tooltime Teter same stuff.
Banned LW character.
CF got shutdown because. the left hates. Hates decent, logic and truth.
Rhode Island Rodeo tapped out of CF because this nation is moving apart.
They coulda kept it in the CF but that takes a hardnose guy in the right spot with some guts to stand firm.
They rather kick guys off the rodeo circle i guess? Workin ......
The libs cried, no doubt went to thier law dawgs i bet.
They kicked the only national level bow shooter that had off CF.
Tony
Who was in court in Mass the 10th of Dec.
Wholl be in VA against the Gov. wont be them!
I'm sorry....not fluent in stupidease.
I saw a video on Nat Geo about hunting pythons, In Florida. They had their best hunting, on real dark nights. They were using drones and the pythons almost looked like they glowed in the dark. They really showed up on the monitor. The operator would hover right over the snake until the hunters arrived. Then the drone put down real bright lights so the hunters could see the snake. They caught some really big ones and some small ones. There must be some kind of special light that makes the snakes glow but it sure works. They caught other kinds of snakes also.
Shuteye,
They were using infrared thermal imaging drones. Basically the imaging device detects the body heat of the snakes and other animals. I doubt that's what is going on in the eastern plains of Colorado, however.
Matt
Is HH related to TBM ? I would think it has something to do with Google mapping . Our tv was off yesterday and I was talking to my dad about volunteering at the church. All at once the sound bar for the tv turned on and started lecturing about what happens when you start volunteering for your church. My dad freaked out
Could be commercial, but I'd guess they'd have to file at minimum flight plans or have some permitting for them to be legally flying low over private property. Operators have to actually have a pilot license or a form of one. And the operators licensed for night flight as well I'd imagine.
Gov OTOH uses drones on it's citizens every day. No theories needed, conspiratorial or otherwise. The state/county here flies em right over your house and in your backyard all the time under the premise of looking for "illegal" buildings and construction. You can't put up a tin garden shed in the backyard without them all over it.
Courts have basically said you have no expectation of privacy on private property from your government, um.... just doing it's job they say..... for your own good....
Was a time they had to get permission to enter private property. Now they are saying they aren't "technically" entering...... just "tech-ly" entering I guess.....
If Matt is smoking something, maybe you should ask him for a sample. It just may help.
Almost can guarantee that it's "our" military.We live a short distance from a large base(Army),their drones have been seen at night multiple times.They are fairly large,as many as seven at a time are dropped out of helicopters. Imagine an attack chopper with a perimeter of drones around it.I think they are trying to keep it quiet.
"I would think it has something to do with Google mapping ."
Any commercial drone flights at night have to apply for and be issued a waiver from the FAA. The locations and exact flight times are included in the application. According to the FAA, there were no such waivers issued for the flights in question.
So, if these drones were flying for any commercial purposes, they were doing so illegally under FAA law.
Matt
This has relevance because the late plains archery season is going on out there, and anyone with experience knows even small drones scare the hell out of deer. It would really chap me if I was still hunting a big buck and a gang of outlaw drones scared all my deer out of the county.
Guys doing outfitted bowhunts there now are paying as much as $6K for a week, and I know of one charging $8K. This drone attack could easily blow up a hunt.
Regardless if flown legally or not, damaging or shooting down a drone is a federal offense publishable up to 20 years. Being classified as an aircraft by the FAA make it clear charges will be severe.
Only if you get caught hunting drones ... if anyone can trespass then you are not responsible ... heh!?
Gator,
You are correct, but I've found only one case in which a Kentucky man shot down a drone that was flying over his private property. The case was dismissed at both the Federal and State levels. Research the Boggs v. Meredith case.
I'm certainly not advocating shooting down drones, just stating facts. I think as drones become more popular, conflicts with private property owners are bound to become more frequent. The laws seem to be lagging behind the technology, as usual.
Matt
Regardless if flown legally or not, damaging or shooting down a drone is a federal offense publishable up to 20 years. Being classified as an aircraft by the FAA make it clear charges will be severe
I shot one down over my house a 1 1/2 ago and nothing happened to me. If you’re flying around my wife and kids and I don’t know u are, you’re gonna lose your drone. If u fly a drone over my daughters while they’re on there horse and you spook said horse, I’m gonna shoot your drone and then I’m gonna come put hands on you.
I think law enforcement should get their own drone and follow the "suspect" drone and thus would end the debate as to where they are originating from.
"Woodswalker, whatever device you are using to post on bowsite is spying on you."
I get that Peco. It's my desk computer. But that's as far as it goes. Once I leave the desk I'm G O N E!
Deserthunter you read my mind. It’s amazing how people with such low IQs can type like that isn’t it?
Take out the trash .... please!
Matt... I was thinking the same thing. They guy in Kentucky admittedly shot down the drone. I would never advocate doing something illegal....... But how would you prosecute someone who shot down a drone over their own property if they never admitted to it ?? How would the owner get onto your property to recover it ?? And lastly..... How would they recover it if the shooter disposed of it where it will never be found ??
All this talk about prosecution..... Beyond the Kentucky case..... it looks like prosecution is almost non existent.
BB,
You're exactly correct. The Kentucky man freely admitted to shooting down the drone, and was never convicted of any crimes that I can find.
Bigswivle's thoughts mirror mine. I'm curious if LE was involved in his case, but I respect his right to not elaborate, publicly.
Matt
You guys ought to work NASA and build space shuttles.
You think drones just store data in their onboard hard drives?
You two sure your not working for NASA?
K
Time ace this thread its way outta Bowsite forum rule.
K
Exactly Matt..... What I found on line was that the charges were dismissed in the Kentucky case.
"Time ace this thread its way outta Bowsite forum rule."
This from a guy who has falsified his Bowsite registration multiple times, and has been banned from the Bowsite at least once. Too funny.
Matt
HH.... And you obviously have no knowledge or experience in prosecuting crimes.
Update 5:30pm 12/27/19
The drones have also been seen in Nebraska - see link
Damnit, every time I click on a Denver Post link, it tells me I've "reached my article limit" and requires a monetary subscription fee to read the article.
Can you copy and post the contents, Cnelk?
Matt
Mysterious drone sightings have been reported in three more rural counties in the northeast corner of Colorado and at least one county in Nebraska as local law enforcement officials and residents remain clueless as to what’s flying above them at night.
The sheriffs of Lincoln, Washington and Sedgwick counties told The Denver Post on Friday that their offices have been getting calls this week about the unknown winged devices, days after initial reports out of Phillips and Yuma counties caused a national stir.
Local and national authorities say they have no idea who is operating the groups of large drones, reported to have 6-foot wingspans and spend the nighttime hours flying in grid-like patterns.
While the powers that be have no answers, the mystery aircraft have inspired a wide range of theories online. It has to be the work of a Mexican drug cartel, one commenter on The Post’s website said. No, no — it’s obviously aliens from a far-off galaxy, another replied. Perhaps it’s the History Channel looking for lost cities, or ranchers trying to track their cows, others theorized.
Thus far, however, all anyone can do is guess.
Sedgwick County Sheriff Carlton Britton said residents have been calling his office consistently since Dec. 17, reporting six to 10 drones at a time. The calls mirror those in Phillips County: The clusters of drones hover or cruise through the area between 7 and 10 p.m., flying several hundred feet in the air.
Britton said he has seen them himself — lights of an unknown color flickering from overhead.
“Oh, yeah,” the sheriff said with a chuckle, “there’s a lot of conspiracy theories floating in Sedgwick County right now.”
Britton has been batting ideas around with Phillips County Sheriff Thomas Elliott, trying to determine if any laws are being broken. As it stands right now, he said, it’s all above board — even if it’s a bit disconcerting.
“We have no idea at this point,” Britton said. “No leads and no thoughts. It’s just an odd phenomenon.”
Britton said he has spoken with a sheriff’s deputy in neighboring Deuel County, Neb., who has been chasing drones in his state the past few days. The Deuel County sheriff could not be reached Friday to comment.
Washington County Sheriff Jon Stivers has heard reports from his constituents of six drones at a time to 30.
“It’s both weird and concerning,” Stivers said. “It would be kind of nice to know what they’re doing.”
Lincoln County Sheriff Tom Nestor said he received the first report of a drone sighting in his jurisdiction Thursday night. He expects the conspiracy theorists to run wild, but Nastor said he’s most concerned with the drones colliding midair with planes from Limon’s airport or helicopters used in emergency situations.
The sheriffs said they have gotten nothing from the Federal Aviation Authority, and Elliot previously told The Post that the Air Force has denied involvement. The FAA also told The Post this week that it had no information on the mystery flyers. Neither did the Drug Enforcement Administration nor the U.S. Army Forces Command.
Those things should be like foot traps where the owner has to have his name on them. Then you could return the pieces in a box. Lol
If you shoot a drone down would this be like the “Cecil”shooting with the libs ?
Matt a serious question you have mention above them “looking” in windows or to that effect. The articles I have read say they are several hundred feet in the air. Have you seen or talked to someone that has seen them much lower than that?
^^^ if it was named "Greta" and was involved in something to do with climate change.
Drones should have a registration on them like aircraft do. Then if you ID one that flies over your yard or worse yet hovers over it, you can locate the owner and then park on the street outside his house with a spotting scope aimed at it and see how he likes it.
"Matt a serious question you have mention above them “looking” in windows or to that effect. The articles I have read say they are several hundred feet in the air. Have you seen or talked to someone that has seen them much lower than that?"
According to my guests who witnessed a drone over my house. it was flying just above the treetops. It didn't hoover, circle, or deviate from course. It had a periodic bright flash. like a camera flash. It was close enough for them to clearly hear the buzzing of the drone.
Matt
So Matt. You were not home? Your guests heard it and saw it but not you personally?
RK, our guests are in their early 30's, it was midnight, and this old man was staring at his eyelids. They are two of our closest friends, so I trust their accounts.
Matt
LOL!! Got it Matt. Been there done that !!!
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