Drone News: Remote ID, Police Drone Shot Down, Felony Charges Flying Over NFL, and the Super Bowl

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update, we have 4 stories for you this week: Remote ID for the DJI minis, an armed suspect escaped police after shooting down a drone, a man faces felony charges after flying over NFL game, and the Super Bowl is a No-Drone-Zone.

First up this week is an update on Remote ID for the Mini 3, Mini 3 Pro, and Mini 4 Pro. Last week we covered that DJI’s latest firmware update that removed remote ID when using the small batteries. This firmware update applies to ONLY the Mini 3 and the Mini 4 Pro at this time, if you have the Mini 3 Pro, the drone will transmit RID with both batteries. For the other two drones (The Mini 3 and the Mini 4 Pro) we reached out to DJI. After meeting with DJI we found out that each drone is considered two models, one with each battery. The large battery will transmit remote ID, while the other battery does not. Only the drone and larger battery is approved by the FAA. We’ll be publishing a full video on this topic soon and we’ll place a card here when it’s time! https://dronexl.co/2024/02/02/dji-clarifies-mini-drones-rid-compliance/ Next up this week is kind of a scary one out of California. Police with a warrant were conducting surveillance with a drone in Shasta County on a man wanted for multiple felonies including assault with a deadly weapon. During the operation, the wanted man shot the drone down. A SWAT team was deployed along with California highway patrol, but the man escaped and remains at large. The incident is a great example of how drones put cameras in harms way instead of people. https://dronexl.co/2024/02/02/suspect-shooting-law-enforcement-drone/ Third up this week is likely one you’ve seen, a man is facing felony charges after illegally operating a drone at a NFL game in Maryland. Matthew Hebert allegedly flew his drone over the M&T Bank stadium during a TFR on January 28th, 2024. The NFL suspended the game due to the drone while Maryland State Police and the FBI located the drone pilot. The pilot advised police he relied exclusively on DJI’s built in geofencing to tell him where he could and couldn’t fly and that because no DJI restrictions were in place, he assumed he could fly. The drone was unregistered and Hebert does not possess a remote pilot certificate. If convicted, the maximum sentence is three years in federal prison for operating as an airman without an airman certificate and operating an unregistered drone. Another charge of willfully violating US National Defense Airspace would add another possible year to the charge. We’ll keep you updated if we see anything else about this. https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/pennsylvania-man-facing-federal-felony-charges-illegally-operating-drone-during-national?fbclid=IwAR240Cf8I9ZA5rX4dOaBMUisUFlfgFqEVd93Y9ONw5uwUm7wMMChuyn4Uac On the same topic, the Super Bowl is this weekend… if you’re in Las Vegas, there is a 30 NM TFR around the game… The FBI WILL be visiting pilots who bust this TFR… Don’t bust it! Las Vegas has a number of drone detection stations around the city, don’t think that you won’t get caught… Don’t be that guy, check the TFRs before you fly! https://dronexl.co/2024/02/05/las-vegas-no-drone-zone-super-bowl-faa/ Alright, that’s it, have a great weekend and we’ll see you next week!