Permits individuals to shoot down drones flying under 200 feet over their property with a shotgun, provided they report the incident to the FAA.
Tim Burchett
Representative
TN-2
The Defense Against Drones Act of 2025 permits individuals to shoot down drones flying under 200 feet over their property using a legally obtained shotgun, as long as it complies with state firearm laws. Individuals are not required to return the drone, but must report the incident to the FAA within 60 days, including the location and drone registration number if available. The FAA will issue regulations to implement this law. This act does not override state laws regarding liability for actions taken under it.
New Law Lets Property Owners Shoot Down Drones: Here's the Deal
The Defense Against Drones Act of 2025 basically says if a drone's buzzing around your property—less than 200 feet up—you can legally shoot it down with a shotgun. Yep, you read that right. This is all provided that you're following your state's firearm rules. And no, you don't have to give the busted drone back to its owner. (SEC. 2)
Taking Aim: New Rules for Drone Downs
So, here's the deal in more detail. If you do blast a drone out of the sky, you've got 60 days to tell the FAA what happened. You need to give them the address where it went down and the drone's registration number, if you can find it. The FAA is supposed to come up with the specific rules to make this all work. (SEC. 2)
Real-World Blowback
Imagine you're a delivery driver, and your route includes dropping packages in areas where folks might not be thrilled about drones. Suddenly, your $2,000 drone could get blown away because someone thought it was too close for comfort. Or picture a construction worker using drones to check out a building site—one wrong move, and their expensive equipment is toast. This law doesn't really spell out what counts as a good enough reason to shoot, which could make things messy. And let's be real, firing shotguns into the air isn't exactly the safest move, no matter how you slice it. (SEC. 2)
State Lines and Legal Tangles
It's important to remember that while this law gives you the right to shoot, it doesn't mess with state laws about getting in trouble for it. So, if you're reckless, you could still end up in court or facing criminal charges, depending on where you live. This new federal rule is basically layered on top of existing state laws, which can get complicated fast. (SEC. 2)