With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Video: Drone Loses Battle Against Shirtless Man
A drone was no match for an angry neighbor who smashed the small hovering copter to the ground. While some people might be excited about cool videos filmed by drones, the man who lived next door to a drone business feared he was being spied on (which has happened in the San Fernando Valley).
Employees from Lucky 7 Drones, a Huntington Beach-based company, were flying their $1,300 drone for an instructional video when a shirtless man swatted it to the ground with his t-shirt. A YouTube video released by the company shows the drone flying just three feet off the ground when a man enters from off-camera, yelling "if you put that over my house, I'm going to be pissed off." The man, wearing only his swimsuit, then winds up and swings his t-shirt to bat the drone out of the air. The four-propeller drone is knocked to the ground, smashing its propellers. Emerging victoriously from the man vs. drone battle, the man walks off camera, shouting, "I don't even think that's legal."
As it turns out, the drone's short-lived flight was legal. While some cities have regulated or banned the flying of drones, Huntington Beach has not, according to The O.C. Register. The shirtless man may have deemed the area a no-fly-zone and told investigators he thought they might be trying to spy on him, but apparently the company was clear for take off. "People are like, why are you flying in the middle of the street, but we weren't flying high or up and down the street or over people's homes," according to Mike Luzansky of Lucky 7 Drones. "We were just showing off the (drone's) sensitivity control."
The company has filed a police report with the Huntington Beach Police Department and have said they plan to sue the man in small claims court if he doesn't pay for the damage to the drone, according to NBC. The case is now awaiting review by the Orange County District Attorney.
Support for LAist comes from
While Enrique Iglesias may have lost in his recent encounter with a drone, you can see in the video below that this time the drone is the loser.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Flauta, taquito, tacos dorados? Whatever they’re called, they’re golden, crispy and delicious. -
If California redistricts, the conservative beach town that banned LGBTQ Pride flags on city property would get a gay, progressive Democrat in Congress. -
Most survivors of January's fires face a massive gap in the money they need to rebuild, and funding to help is moving too slowly or nonexistent. -
Kevin Lacy has an obsession with documenting California’s forgotten and decaying places. -
Restaurants share resources in the food hall in West Adams as Los Angeles reckons with increasing restaurant closures. -
It will be the second national day of protest against President Donald Trump.
Best of LAist