Father-son duo take on FAA over gun-firing, flame-throwing drones

A Connecticut father and son are taking on the Federal Aviation Administration over whether the agency could force them to disclose information about drones shown in two YouTube videos firing a gun and deploying a flame thrower in their backyard.

Austin Haughwout, 19, of Clinton, and his father, Bret Haughwout, have refused to comply with subpoenas issued by the US attorney's office on behalf of the FAA, saying the subpoenas violated their constitutional right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures.

They have also questioned the agency's authority to regulate recreational drones.

A hearing on the matter is posted for tomorrow before US district judge Jeffrey Meyer in New Haven. The case potentially had national  significance as it would set a precedent on how much authority the FAA could exercise over recreational drone use, Haughwouts' lawyer Mario Cerame said.

One of videos which were uploaded by Austin Haughwout, showed a drone equipped with a handgun firing rounds, while the other showed a flying drone with a flamethrower, spit-roasting a Thanksgiving turkey. The videos which were recorded in the family's yard in Clinton had been viewed nearly 600,000 times and more than 3.7 million times respectively.

Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration has announced the long-awaited regulations for lighter weight drone aircraft. The rules ban flights above stadiums or sports events.

The initial FAA rules apply to drones weighing up to 55 pounds and are the first set of drone regulations issued by the FAA. More are expected to follow later for heavier drones used for complex tasks.

The rules lay out a few basic requirements for hobbyists, while another set outlines slightly more strict requirements for the drones for use in business.

The rules which would take effect in late August, would set the stage for lighterweight drone operations that could generate more than $82 billion for the US, according to industry estimates.