Can You Shoot Down and Destroy A Drone In Missouri?

Unknown drones are popping up in some places, so if you see one in Missouri, can you shoot it down to destroy it?

In the last month, many unidentified drone sightings have been over New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. When I asked if there had been any in Missouri, chatGPT told me recent sightings have been sparse. However, there have been some reports, particularly near St. Louis, although there weren't any news stories with specific information.

So if you see a drone mysteriously buzzing around your neighborhood or over your land, is it legal to shoot it down in Missouri?

That answer would be a big NO. Yahoo News, republishing a report from Today's Columbia Daily Tribune, says, "Taking a shot at a hovering drone is illegal. The FAA considers it shooting at an aircraft a federal crime."

Additionally, Missouri Statute 571.030, which outlines the unlawful use of weapons, also makes it illegal to discharge or shoot a gun at an aircraft. Since no definition is attached to aircraft in the Statute, and the FAA's definition of aircraft includes drones, it's illegal to shoot a drone.

CNN reports that last Thursday, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security released a joint statement that neither agency has any evidence that the reported drone sightings post a national security or public safety threat or have what they call a foreign nexus.

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Today, President-elect Donald Trump urged greater transparency from federal agencies regarding the mysterious drone sightings and says the public deserves answers about the incidents, particularly given heightened drone activity around sensitive infrastructure.