Last week, a drone pilot was arrested for flying his drone into Barclays bank building during violent winds. Steve Funes operated his drone from the balcony of his 21st floor room at The Executive Plaza Hotel on West 51st Street. The crash occurred on nearby 7th Avenue. While the Barclays bank building was not damaged, the drone fell to the ground where it could have injured a passerby. The buildings security guards found the drone and confiscated it. Funes (who resides in Virginia) was issued a desk appearance ticket for operation of a drone in and over the city (which is not permitted), and the drone was seized as evidence. This incident is another example of how both states and the federal government struggle to safely integrate drones into the national airspace and create a manageable air traffic management system. Drone operators should be aware of the local and state laws applicable to drone operations and consult the FAA’s website or local authorities before conducting operations.
[View source.]
