A Florida man who reportedly shot a Walmart delivery drone that he said was trespassing over his property is currently being charged with multiple offenses, including a felony.
The shooting happened near Clermont, which is about 26 miles to the west of Orlando.
Florida Man Shoots Drone During Walmart Delivery
A statement on the Lake County Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page states that they were informed of the occurrence on Wednesday, June 26. There has reportedly been a gunshot hole found in the cargo that the drone is carrying, according to the information that the caller provided.
Witnesses led authorities to 72-year-old Dennis Winn, who they said admitted to shooting one shot at the drone with a 9 mm pistol during an interview with officials, according to the sheriff’s office.
Officials said that DroneUp, a newly founded drone delivery business that works with Walmart, told them that two people on a team were simulating deliveries in a local area as part of their marketing campaign.
The team reached the delivery location, which was outside Dennis Winn’s house. A DroneUp employee claimed that after the drone arrived, a person who would eventually be identified as Winn allegedly pointed a gun at it.
The crew hastily moved to the vehicle and headed toward Walmart after hearing a loud noise. The broken drone returned to the shop as well.
The crew discovered a bullet hole in the drone’s payload system during their inspection, and they estimated that the damage would require about $2,500 to fix.
Officers noticed metal shavings that seemed to match the fragments from a gunshot. According to Freight Waves, the person from DroneUp notified the authorities that the drone would be unavailable for a considerable amount of time.
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During a deputation interview at his home, Winn stated that he fired his 9 mm handgun because the drone had flown over his property. Winn described to the deputy his prior experiences with drones passing over his home and his suspicion that they were spying on him.
Winn, according to the deputy, was shocked to learn that he had shot a Walmart drone.
As previously mentioned, the deputy notified Winn that the damages amounted to $10,000. Winn told the deputy that if he had to pay $10,000, he would like to claim the drone as his own.
Winn acknowledged that his actions were irresponsible after the officer told him that the bullet he had fired had gone over several houses. Officers found a little child playing in the cul-de-sac close to Winn’s house when they arrived, according to the deputy’s affidavit.
Winn was taken into custody and is being charged with a number of offenses, including firing a handgun in a public or residential place, criminal mischief causing severe damage, and shooting or hurling lethal projectiles into homes, boats, or cars.
In the state of Florida, shooting at an airplane is regarded as a serious offense. Winn posted a $13,500 bond and was freed on Thursday.
By Florida law, drones are not permitted to operate over or near “critical infrastructure facilities,” but they are permitted to fly over residential areas.
Nonetheless, when it comes to several unlawful actions connected to drone use, including annoyances, voyeurism, harassment, reckless endangerment, and property damage, local governments have the authority to enact and enforce legislation.
The DroneUp official told the Lake County deputies that Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which deals with aviation and space, governs DroneUp’s operations as a drone delivery business in compliance with Florida statute.
A representative for Walmart Inc. stated that the company has acknowledged the occurrence and has referred questions to Lake County law enforcement.
Drones Delivered by Walmart
Walmart made a big statement concerning the launch of drone delivery in 2021. By the next year, the retail behemoth had effectively introduced drone delivery services in a few select areas around Texas, Arizona, and Florida.
To help with its deliveries, Walmart teamed up with DroneUp. This drone delivery business serves a variety of clients, such as Wendy’s and Chick-fil-A fast food restaurants as well as medical facilities.
Earlier this year, Walmart made a big statement about adding Wing and Zipline, two on-demand drone delivery services, to its list of offerings.
According to USA Today, the corporation declared its plan to extend drone delivery services to an extra 1.8 million residences in the Dallas-Fort Worth region.
