DoD threatens ‘severe consequences’ for drone operators flying in restricted airspace

The Defense Department and its federal partners issued a warning Friday to drone operators, threatening to impose massive fines, imprisonment and other measures on those who illegally fly unmanned aerial systems in restricted airspace.

Drone incursions over stateside military bases and other restricted areas have been widespread in recent years as commercially available systems proliferate. Just this week, the head of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command revealed that American forces recently identified and defeated a small UAS threat over a “strategic” U.S. installation.

Agencies operating near the southern border have also been using weapon systems, including high-energy lasers, against suspicious drones, raising safety concerns among agencies like the FAA. Two incidents in Texas last month led to temporary airspace closures.

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