Has anyone been ticketed or faced any legal action for flying their drone? Flysafe provides good guidelines on where you can’t fly, but I’ve noticed some national parks or forest service areas aren’t listed. I understand the idea behind limiting drone use in certain spaces (like noise and animal protection), but what if you’re not disturbing anyone or anything? Is it still illegal to fly in those areas? And how would they even find out if you did?
It takes something pretty reckless to get fined by the FAA. Law enforcement would be the only ones who could actually stop you while you’re flying. If they spot a violation, they could report it to the FAA. Most FAA fines seem to happen when drones are flown in no-fly zones during big events.
Has anyone actually been ticketed or prosecuted for flying their drone?
It’s uncommon due to how the U.S. legal system works. Most drone regulations are federal (FAA rules), and local cops can’t enforce federal laws. The FAA doesn’t have the budget to go after everyone, so you’d really have to mess up for someone to care enough to report it, which could lead to the FAA sending you a fine two years later.
Cops usually don’t know or care about drone laws, since they don’t have to. I’ve had a cop ask me to land my drone, even though I was already doing it. When he asked for my ID, I questioned why he thought he could ask me to land if I wasn’t breaking the law. He just walked away.
I’ve seen a few cases, and all of them were people doing some really dumb things. It’s simple: if you’re not flying legally, you shouldn’t be doing it. You just make it worse for everyone else and give politicians more reasons to limit the industry. Don’t be that person. Fly safe and legal.
I would’ve been charged if I hadn’t landed my drone when I was told to at a random national park.
I flew my drone this week in a national park and didn’t even think it could be illegal. I just checked and it’s banned there, even though it’s fine in my province. Oops. The fine could’ve been up to $25,000! I got lucky and I need to do more research next time.
@Oakley
Did the Flysafe app warn you at all or give any alerts?
Aubrey said:
@Oakley
Did the Flysafe app warn you at all or give any alerts?
No, it didn’t. I thought it would have, like it does when I’m near an airport.
@Oakley
You should definitely share this in a public forum…
Oaklan said:
@Oakley
You should definitely share this in a public forum…
Should I call the cops on myself?
Oaklan said:
@Oakley
You should definitely share this in a public forum…
Should I call the cops on myself?
The FAA only prosecutes when it’s convenient for them, and you’re making it pretty easy for them!
@Oaklan
Good thing I’m not American!
Oakley said:
@Oaklan
Good thing I’m not American!
I too wish I wasn’t American…
I can only speak for the U.S., but yeah, plenty of people have been fined (for 107 violations) or arrested (for USC violations).
Jaden said:
I can only speak for the U.S., but yeah, plenty of people have been fined (for 107 violations) or arrested (for USC violations).
Plenty
It depends on what you mean by ‘plenty.’ Between 2012 and 2020, there were about 60 enforcement actions (fines). The last four years have been about the same pace. Arrests are extremely rare – like you’d have to be doing something ridiculously negligent. Even the guy who flew his drone INSIDE a stadium during a Bengal’s playoff game didn’t get arrested, though he did get 40 hours of community service.
Jaden said:
@Jessie
https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-proposed-341413-civil-penalties-against-drone-operators
So, ‘plenty’ is 27 people fined over 18 months?
Jaden said:
@Jessie
https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-proposed-341413-civil-penalties-against-drone-operators
So, ‘plenty’ is 27 people fined over 18 months?
Well, it depends on how you define ‘plenty.’
Jaden said:
I can only speak for the U.S., but yeah, plenty of people have been fined (for 107 violations) or arrested (for USC violations).
But were they caught in the act or after the fact?
@Aubrey
Both. There’s a recent case in Minnesota where a drone was near a police helicopter. They tracked down the operator and sent police cars to their location.