SkyPan International, the aerial photography firm hit with a proposed $1.9 million FAA fine for unauthorized drone flights, has published a response. Responding not only to the specific charges but also to public opinion, the statement hits back on concerns of safety and responsible drone use.
In a three-part response published on the SkyPan website, the company first highlights the positive economic impact of their own commercial drone use. Pointing out that aerial photography assists the commercial real estate sector in several ways, SkyPan states that their contribution to local commercial real estate development “helps create jobs, has a multiplier effect on local economic expansion and spurs urban areas to develop in a vigorous, sensible and culturally viable manner and pace.”
SkyPan then cites their safety record, claiming that in the 27 years that the company has been in business, they have never had an instance of damage to person or property, or been accused of an invasion of privacy or safety violation.
SkyPan has developed and utilized time-tested safety protocols and procedures, invested in continual research and development of flight system technology, and provided detailed pre-flight process consultation with property owners and major engineering/construction contractors. These measures and systems ensure that SkyPan, always operating with ample insurance, property owner advance clearance, and robust legal advisory fundamentals, consistently and reliably protects the interests of its business clients, surrounding property owners and the public at large.
SkyPan also states that they use only single rotor robots which have been tested and inspected by the FAA, claiming that they are “one of the safest UAV operations in the USA.”
In direct answer to the FAA accusation, SkyPan categorically denies the charges, stating:
SkyPan operates only in privately owned air space over the private property of its clients. Never flying over people or public spaces, SkyPan always maintains straight up/straight down flights with fulltime altimeter monitoring and complete aircraft control. SkyPan never operates higher than surrounding structures and never penetrates the navigable US airspace as defined by the FAA.
The FAA alleges that the company flew 65 unauthorized drone flights over various locations in New York City and Chicago between March of 2012 and December of 2014, 43 of these in the highly congested and restricted New York Class B airspace.
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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The FAA will need 65 sets of irrefutable evidence of each of theses supposed incidents. They will need to provide that this “proof” is tied to these crafts that are owned by this company. Additionally, they will need to prove that if these crafts were owned by this company, that at the times of these incidents, they were being operated by their employees. Not circumstantial, and not likely. Proof positive. I have my doubts that they can even substantiate one of these “incidents”.
In all likelyhood, the FAA went on the companies website and pulled out 65 photographs and said “here’s your proof”. We’ll see how that holds up, as they’ll have to establish if those shots were even taken with a drone, or taken by the company and not other parties. Good luck with that.
This company needs a new lawyer.