New Hampshire Man Who Helps Find Lost Pets Has Had Drone Shot At 4 Times

CBS Boston

May 6, 2026

A dog rescue drone operator had his drone shot at while trying to find a missing dog in Effingham, New Hampshire. When he zoomed in on a heat signature, he found a man with a loaded rifle pointing right at him.

"I zoom in and there's a guy with a scoped rifle aimed right at the drone," said Rob Russell of 2A TAC Air OPS Drone Services. He is a former law enforcement officer and retired military member who has had his drone shot at before. "Yes, this is number four. Thankfully, only one time one of my drones was actually struck by gunfire and that was in Maine."

WBZ reached out to the FAA, and in a statement, they said in part, "It's illegal under federal law to shoot at an aircraft. Shooting at any aircraft, including an unmanned aircraft, poses a significant safety hazard." Shooting at an aircraft could result in civil or criminal charges.

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