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Drone Flies Near Airport, Authorities Seize Device
25 Apr
Summary
- Drone seized by federal authorities for illegal flight at airport overlook.
- Operator allegedly flew drone for client's social media content.
- Drone flew at low altitude near active runways without registration.
Federal authorities have confiscated a drone following an illegal flight near the Charlotte Douglas Airport Overlook. The incident occurred last month when a 50-year-old Charlotte resident allegedly launched the drone to record video content for a client's social media campaign.
Airport surveillance technology immediately detected the unauthorized flight. Federal marshals were dispatched and successfully tracked the drone, which remained airborne for approximately seven minutes at altitudes between 32 and 100 feet. During this time, active runways were in use.
Investigators determined that the drone operator did not possess the necessary permissions to fly in the restricted airspace. Furthermore, the drone had not been properly registered with the authorities. The seized device is now part of an ongoing federal investigation into the matter.
