Drone pilot pleads guilty/hitting helicopter

[k9kids]

Man pleads guilty after drone hits LAPD helicopter, conviction 1st of its kind https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-pleads-guilty-after-drone-hits-lapd-helicopter-conviction-1st-n1254365

 

[Rchawks]

Stupid thing to do and goes against everything we're taught.

 

[anotherlab]

Here's the news release from the Justice Department

According to his plea agreement, on September 18, 2020, at approximately 12:18 a.m., Hernandez heard police vehicles driving near his residence and a police helicopter flying overhead. Curious about the commotion, Hernandez launched a drone that he owned toward the police activity and in the helicopter’s direction.

It's after midnight and you hear a siren and your first thought is to send your drone out and follow the sirens? So many things wrong with that picture.

 

[Tentoes]

Well.... He did something idiotic. I hope he learns something.

 

[anotherlab]

Well.... He did something idiotic. I hope he learns something.

He'll learn more on April 12th, when he is sentenced. Since he appears to have the dubious honor of being the first criminal conviction at the federal level, they may want to make an example of him. I doubt he'll get a year of jail, but they will probably fine him.

In case anyone was wondering how this guy was caught, it wasn't that hard. Police located the memory card of the drone. On that card was a picture of him holding the RC right next to the license plate of his car.

 

[dennyc39]

Man pleads guilty after drone hits LAPD helicopter, conviction 1st of its kind https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-pleads-guilty-after-drone-hits-lapd-helicopter-conviction-1st-n1254365

Similar possibility about 15 miles from here. Traffic tie-up due to accident with line of cars stationary for more than 15 minutes. A guy pulled a drone out of his car and flew it up and forward to see what was going on --- just in time for approach of a Lifeflight helicopter. I never heard that the guy was ID'd and charged. Incident commander said if he'd had a gun he would have shot it down.

 

[anotherlab]

Similar possibility about 15 miles from here. Traffic tie-up due to accident with line of cars stationary for more than 15 minutes. A guy pulled a drone out of his car and flew it up and forward to see what was going on --- just in time for approach of a Lifeflight helicopter. I never heard that the guy was ID'd and charged. Incident commander said if he'd had a gun he would have shot it down.

That is the problem that Remote ID solves. For the drones above 250g anyway.