I misunderstood the title. The drone registration was not _used_ to locate a person who used a drone illegally, as is the reason the FAA claimed was why it was created. They simply chose to charge him for using a drone while not registered. So the drone registration was not used as intended or for its purpose.
This appears to be a case of bad reporting. Here is a quote from another article:
A DeKalb County man has admitted he tried to use a drone to drop marijuana into a prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Georgia said Thursday.
U.S. Attorney Charles Peeler said Eric Lee Brown, 35, of Lithonia pleaded guilty to one count. But the count is a mouthful — operating an aircraft eligible for registration knowing that the aircraft is not registered to facilitate a controlled substance offense.
The articles mention him being pleading guilty to using a drone when he was not registered but mentions _nothing_ about the multiple other criminal offenses he'd be guilty of (trying to enter drugs into a prison, being in possession of those drugs, etc.). Odd.
But again the registration was not used as it was intended, to match the person to an illegal flight. They found the drone in his car.
We still have the drone registration never being used as it was intended and after how many years, this is the first and only case where a citation has ever even been issued for an unregistered flier. It certainly shows the huge need for the registration. One citation in five years and never been used for its purpose.
Lastly, he used a DJI product to fly over a prison. Perhaps he failed because the DJI Go app should not allow that to happen.
Edit:
A quote from another article:
"The use of drones is regulated by federal criminal statutes, and our office will not hesitate to use those statutes in the fight against prison contraband,” Peeler said. “I applaud the Department of Transportation, the Georgia Department of Corrections, and our local law enforcement for thinking creatively to bring this defendant to justice.”
They had to think creatively (by charging him with no drone registration) to bring him to justice? After finding bags of pot in his car next to a drone and conversation with people as how to drop those drugs into a prison and him stopping traffic near the prison? With this.... let's see what we can possibly charge him with.... I know! No drone registration! Perhaps this is another case of really bad reporting and the news is simply overlooking mentioning a slew of other, more serious charges he's looking at. What is next.... person runs over 20 people, killing 4... charged with not renewing his car registration.
nypost.com
