DronesFAA proposes $1.9 million civil penalty for unmanned drone operations

Drone used in filming a documentary // Source: american.edu

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) the other day announced the largest civil penalty the FAA has proposed against a drone operator for endangering the safety of U.S. airspace.

The FAA proposes a $1.9 million civil penalty against SkyPan International, Inc. of Chicago.

The FAA says that between 21 March 2012 and 15 December 2014, SkyPan conducted sixty-five unauthorized operations in some of the U.S. most congested airspace and heavily populated cities, violating airspace regulations and various operating rules. These operations were illegal and not without risk. 

The FAA alleges that the company conducted its unauthorized commercial drone flights over various locations in New York City and Chicago. The flights involved aerial photography. Of those, forty-three flew in the highly restricted New York Class B airspace.

“Flying unmanned aircraft in violation of the Federal Aviation Regulations is illegal and can be dangerous,” said FAA administrator Michael Huerta. “We have the safest airspace in the world, and everyone who uses it must understand and observe our comprehensive set of rules and regulations.”

SkyPan operated the forty-three flights in the New York Class B airspace without receiving an air traffic control clearance to access it, the FAA alleges. Additionally, the agency alleges the aircraft was not equipped with a two-way radio, transponder, and altitude-reporting equipment.

The FAA further alleges that on all sixty-five flights, the aircraft lacked an airworthiness certificate and effective registration, and SkyPan did not have a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization for the operations.

SkyPan operated the aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger lives or property, the FAA alleges.

SkyPan has thirty days after receiving the FAA’s enforcement letter to respond to the agency.