SALT LAKE CITY — Here at FOX 13 News, we have been getting calls into our newsroom from people asking about objects they've been seeing in the sky — are they drones, are they planes, or are they something else? It’s something that is one the minds of people across the country.
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We spoke to local experts who weigh in on what you should do when you see these objects — and what you shouldn’t do.
"It can be very hard to differentiate something. A small 2-seat aircraft, 1,000 feet up, is very hard to tell the difference between that and a drone that’s only few hundred feet up," said Jason Clark, the CEO of FLT Academy.
Clark is also a pilot. We asked him what people should do when they see objects flying around that they might not recognize.
"No one should be trying to take anything out of the air,” said Clark. “It is not your responsibility to shoot something out of the air. Not only that, it’s not worth the risk. It could just as easily be something else.”
"The space above our heads or our properties happens to be airspace that does not fall within the scope of private property,” explained Charles Mudd with Mudd Law. He said airspaces are federally regulated, so there could be consequences.
"When somebody were to shoot into that airspace, and let’s say damage an aircraft, even if it is a drone, they can be facing fines and prison under federal law,” added Mudd.
Clark said the damages can cost thousands of dollars too. He added that what may look like a drone could be carrying people someday soon.
"Another thing to take into consideration is drones are going to be used for human transport very, very soon. There’s a huge initiative being taken to make sure that there is eVTOL transportation before the Olympics are here," he said.
At his flight school, Clark said pilots are trained to be at certain heights above ground as required, so they teach students to follow those rules to help minimize getting into scary encounters. But he said some exercises might catch your eye, so don't panic.
"These maneuvers from the ground might look like a drone maneuvering in certain areas to the untrained eye,” Clark said.
"If you do have questions, call the appropriate authorities rather than taking it into your own hands,” said Mudd, adding that there could also be consequences of hitting something or someone inadvertently, which can also get you in trouble.
They recommend reaching out to local law enforcement or your local FAA office if concerned.
“It's very important to make sure you're not making those decisions on your own,” Clark said.
