FAA seeks $ 1.9M fine from drone company SkyPan

The Federal Aviation Administration will seek a record $ 1.9 million fine from a drone company that it says endangered safety by flying scores of flights in some of the country’s most congested airspace above New York and Chicago.

The enforcement action Tuesday against SkyPan International Inc. of Chicago is the largest yet against a drone company. SkyPan, whose clients include Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Trump and Vornado, has 30 days to respond formally to the allegations. Karl Brewick, studio manager and production coordinator for the company, declined to comment Tuesday. He said the company had not reviewed the civil case.

The FAA charges SkyPan flew 65 unauthorized flights between March 21, 2012, and Dec. 15, 2014. SkyPan lacked the proper certificate and registration for the flights, didn’t have permission from FAA or air- traffic control and the aircraft weren’t equipped to signal their presence to other aircraft, the FAA said. The FAA has yet to fully develop comprehensive rules for how commercial drones will share the skies with passenger planes.

“Flying unmanned aircraft in violation of the Federal Aviation Regulations is illegal and can be dangerous,” FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said.

SkyPan applied on Dec. 22, 2014, for an FAA exemption to fly drones. The FAA approved the exemption on April 17 for use of an Align T Rex 700E F3C drone. The approval allows the drone to fly up to 400 feet above ground and at least 500 feet away from people not associated with the flight, during the day, within sight of the operator or an observer.

“Flying unmanned aircraft in violation of the Federal Aviation Regulations is illegal and can be dangerous.”

FAA Administrator Michael Huerta