The Federal Aviation Administration is proposing to fine a Chicago based drone operator 1.9 million dollars for repeatedly violating FAA regulations and flying in restricted airspace. The FAA charges the company, SkyPan International, conducted 65 flights in the skies over Chicago and New York, some of the nations most restricted and congested airspace. Fourty-three of the flights took place over New York, without clearance from air traffic controllers.
FAA administrator Michael Huerta told NPR the size of the fine was a result of the companies repeated violations. "Clearly this was not inadvertent, someone making a mistake, Huerta said. "What we saw here was a pattern of disregard for FAA rules."
The FAA said the SkyPan drones, which were involved in aerial photography, were not equipped with two way radios, transponders, or altitude reporting equipment.
Huerta says the message the government hopes to send with the fine is that "we want to make sure everyone understands there are ways to safely operate unmanned aircraft, it is important that you follow those rules and if you don't follow those rules we will take enforcement action."
SkyPan has 30 days after receiving the agency's enforcement letter to respond. A spokesman says the company was still reviewing an email from the FAA notifying them of the fine and did not have a comment.
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