DOD threatens ‘severe consequences’ for drone operators flying in restricted airspace
The Defense Department and its federal partners issued a warning Friday to drone operators, threatening to impose massive fines, imprisonment and other measures on those who illegally fly unmanned aerial systems in restricted airspace.
Drone incursions over stateside military bases and other restricted areas have been widespread in recent years as commercially available systems proliferate. Just this week, the head of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command revealed that American forces recently identified and defeated a small UAS threat over a “strategic” U.S. installation.
Agencies operating near the southern border have also been using weapon systems, including high-energy lasers, against suspicious drones, raising safety concerns among agencies like the FAA. Two incidents in Texas last month led to temporary airspace closures.
The federal government restricts who can fly UAS over certain areas, such as military facilities and civilian airports, to protect national security and public safety.
In a press release issued Friday, the DOD, Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security and the FAA touted the government’s detection capabilities, declaring that Uncle Sam has a “zero-tolerance policy” for illegal drone operations and threatening rule violators with “severe consequences,” including potential fines upwards of $100,000, criminal charges, incarceration, and the confiscation of their systems.
“To enforce this zero-tolerance policy, our military and law enforcement agencies are equipped with state-of-the-art technology to detect unauthorized drone activity, often before it becomes a visible threat. This technology allows authorities to not only detect an unauthorized drone but also to quickly and precisely locate the operator,” per the release.
In a statement, FAA Chief Counsel Liam McKenna said agencies will be stepping up enforcement and that drone users are “expected to follow FAA regulations just like any other pilot.”
Last year, the Pentagon set up a new Army-led counter-UAS organization known as Joint Interagency Task Force 401.
“If you fly an illegal drone, you will be caught,” JIATF 401 Director Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross said in a statement. “We have highly trained personnel and sophisticated tools to safely and effectively mitigate any drone threat. This is a true whole-of-government effort, and our number one priority is the safety of the American public.”
To support the crackdown on regulation violators, Steven Willoughby, executive director of DHS’s Program Executive Office for Drones and Counter-UAS, urged the public to report suspicious drone activity to law enforcement.
