A Boston man is facing serious legal consequences after flying a DJI Mavic drone dangerously close to the Boston Marathon finish line in April, prompting a dramatic mid-air interception by law enforcement.
The drone, which sparked concerns about public safety, was seized just minutes before the first race finishers crossed the line, leading to charges of illegally operating a drone in restricted National Defense Airspace. Its operator, 30-year-old Boston resident Allan Nip, was arraigned this week in federal court.
According to court filings, Nip was flying his drone within a few blocks of the Boston Marathon finish line approximately 20 minutes before the professional men in the wheelchair division were finishing the race The drone was detected by federal law enforcement monitoring the airspace near the finish line, was intercepted mid-flight, and was landed in a secure location in Boston’s Back Bay area.
According to investigators, Nip’s DJI drone remote controller had issued warnings indicating that he was flying in a restricted zone, which he allegedly ignored. Additionally, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had sent out alerts prohibiting all flights, including drones, in the marathon area without a special permit. These permits are typically reserved for professional operators, leaving amateur pilots like Nip out of the running.
Once the drone was secured, law enforcement traced it back to Nip’s apartment on West Springfield Street, where he reportedly admitted to flying it that morning.
Nip has agreed to a deferred prosecution arrangement, which includes paying a $5,000 fine and forfeiting his $4,000 drone and controller. Alongside the criminal case, the US government has also filed a civil forfeiture complaint to seize the drone.
Flying a drone in restricted National Defense Airspace carries heavy legal consequences, including a potential maximum sentence of one year in prison, a $100,000 fine, and a year of supervised release.
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