Actually quadcopters/drones/fixed wing, RC aircraft et. al. are "aircraft" per the FAA. 14 CFR 91 defines both, here's the FAA interpretation of 14 CFR 91, whi

Actually quadcopters/drones/fixed wing, RC aircraft et. al. are "aircraft" per the FAA. 14 CFR 91 defines both, here's the FAA interpretation of 14 CFR 91, which they also produced to explain why they were allowed to further regulate RC aircraft operations outside of the boundaries set by congress in the FAA FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. https://www.faa.gov/uas/educational_users/media/model_aircraft_spec_rule.pdf https://www.faa.gov/uas/educational_users/media/model_aircra... Basically the FAA took the stance that all these things are "aircraft" and the same sets of rules apply to their operation. Shooting down or at a drone, or RC aircraft has always violated the same set of laws, perpetrators just haven't yet been prosecuted for it yet.