On New Year’s Eve, December 31 of 2016, a drone crashed into the monument, and fell onto a platform. Nobody was harmed, and the Space Needle did not suffer any damage. That didn’t matter: since the drone (an Inspire 1) was recovered, the operator was identified – and called to account. Officials heaped humiliation upon the operator by publishing FPV video of the crash.
That operator, 20-year old Cole Kelley, was sentenced on Tuesday. While Kelley won’t have to serve jail time, part of his sentence is that he must forfeit his drone and agree not to fly in future.
Kelley pleaded guilty to a gross misdemeanor charge of reckless endangerment. Court records say that he operated the drone in ” a manner that caused a likelihood of harm to persons or property.” Kelley was in clear violation of FAA rules, flying over 400 feet in altitude. He was given a 364-day sentence, suspended; and a $5,000 fine, with all but $250. suspended.
While a $250. fine is not extreme, the demand that Kelley forfeit his drone and lose his right to fly was a surprise to some in the industry. The case comes at a time when some commercial operators are calling for stricter enforcement of laws for recreational flyers, after a spate of recent bad publicity has threatened more drone regulation for all operators. In any case, the fact that Kelley was prosecuted makes the FAA’s position clear: there will be a cost for carelessness when flying drones.
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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[…] 尽管无法从无人机相机所拍摄视频中的起飞地点找到线索，无人机的序列号还是出卖了主人的身份。经过一番努力，警方成功抓住了无人机的主人并对他处以罚款。 […]