A federal judge ruled today that Newton went too far in banning drones from flying over the city without the prior permission of landowners whose property the drones might pass over. Read more.

I missed tonight's Brighton-Allston Improvement Association meeting (for another meeting at which I was fed pizza for free - by law, reporters cannot turn down meetings with free food). And that was a shame, because, a little birdie informs us, a concerned citizen reported a problem with a drone flying near the house and sought advice from the D-14 community service officer: Would it be OK to get a gun and shoot the drone down?

BPD after carefully reviewing the laws assured us.....you CANNOT shoot down a drone with a firearm in Boston.

Michael Griffin sent his drone up.

CyPhy of Danvers, started by the co-founder of the equally local iRobot, today launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise $250,000 for making drones it swears any idiot with a smartphone can fly.