Drone Operator And Animal Advocate Believes Hunt Was Illegal

A drone that was being used to track a group of fox hunters in Kent, U.K. was shot down by one of the hunters, resulting in about $665 in damage to the aircraft.

The U.K. newspaper The Daily Mail reports that the drone operator, 31-year-old Harry Blackhurst, believes that the fox hunters on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent were hunting illegally and used his drone to record them. He said he believes that during the Ashford Valley Tickham Hunt a fox was illegally "hunted to ground" ... chased by dogs into a den in the ground ... and his video shows a group of four men digging out the animal.

Blackhurst is part of the Kent Hunt Saboteurs. The video was captured from a height of about 150 feet, and at one point in the video, it is obvious that one person is shooting at the drone. The bullets can be seen flying past the aircraft, until on the third shot, the camera lens shatters. Blackhurst says the hunters are using guns to prevent being captured on camera, which is exactly what he was able to do.

Blackhurst says the group of hunters assaulted the saboteurs later that day, and one person was injured.

Fox hunting has been illegal in the U.K. since 2004, according to the report, and many hunts now only follow a scent trail. The Saboteurs say that their goal is to be sure what the hunters are doing is legal.

Blackhurst says both the shooting incident and the assault were reported to police, but they did not arrive on the scene until much later. The Kent police acknowledge that they received both reports, and are investigating.

Blackhurst said that the group will use donated funds to purchase a new drone, and the other will be hopefully be repaired. But for now, they are keeping it as it is as evidence.

(Image from drone video)

FMI: Source report