Police arrest 25-year-old after spotting him flying a remote-controlled quadcopter just south of major runway
A man caught flying a quadcopter-style drone similar to the one depicted in this photo was criminally charged at Calgary International Airport.
Police have criminally charged a Calgary man for flying an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) — commonly known as a drone — in the flight path of aircraft near the airport.
“This is believed to be the first charge of its kind in Calgary, in terms of the illegal use of a UAV,” said Sgt. Colin Foster.
Police saw the man operating the remote-controlled quadcopter from Airways Park, just south of the airport, at 6:45 p.m. on Sunday.
“The UAV was seen to be flying under the flight path for Calgary International Airport, which obviously caused some concern,” Foster said.
“The concern was that the particular device he was using has the potential to go up to 500 feet.”
Police approached the man, who made his way on foot to a nearby vehicle, but officers intercepted him before he could drive away.
Following a conversation with the man, officers decided to arrest him.
Foster said the 25-year-old Calgary resident was charged under the Criminal Code of Canada for interfering with a navigation facility in a manner likely to endanger the safety of aircraft.
He’s set to appear in court on Jan. 28.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-man-drone-airport-criminal-charge-1.3413818
