Court Upholds Domestic Drone in Citizen’s Arrest

A court in North Dakota upheld the first ever use of an unmanned drone to assist in the arrest of an American citizen.

A motion to dismiss charges against Rodney Brossart, a man arrested last year after a standoff with police, based on the use of a drone was denied. Brossart’s lawyer argued that the use of an “unmanned military-like surveillance aircraft” warranted dismissal of the case.

The district judge wrote that “there was no improper use of an unmanned aerial vehicle” and that the drone “appears to have had no bearing on these charges being contested here.”

According to court documents the drone was used during the standoff for surveillance and to ensure that no one left the farm or was armed.

Now Brossart faces felony terrorizing and theft of property charges and a misdemeanor criminal mischief charge. He is believed to be the only American citizen who was arrested with the assistance of a drone on U.S. soil.

A main concern is that the use of these drones is violating the fourth Amendment prohibiting against searches and seizures.

The following is an interesting video from an American lawyer in Thailand :