World Cup drone arrest leads to federal charges for flight over Dallas Stadium
Dallas Stadium
ARLINGTON, Texas - A Honduran national has been charged with illegally operating an unregistered drone in restricted airspace near Dallas Stadium during the FIFA World Cup.
Federal charges filed for illegal drone flight over Dallas Stadium
(Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
What we know:
Federal prosecutors announced that 33-year-old Luis Mauricio Flores Ordonez, was charged on June 15 with owning an unregistered aircraft that was operating, or attempting to operate in a restricted airspace.
According to the complaint, Flores Ordonez allegedly flew a DJI Mini 3 Pro drone in restricted airspace around Dallas Stadium while a temporary flight restriction was in effect for a FIFA World Cup match.
FBI counter-drone surveillance targets tournament airspace violations
FILE-A member of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) poses for an illustrative photo during a press conference. (Sebastian Barros/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
What they're saying:
Federal authorities said drone operators must meet several requirements to legally fly within restricted airspace, including registering the aircraft with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and obtaining appropriate certifications or waivers. More than 20 drones have been seized during the first two FIFA World Cup matches in North Texas.
According to the FBI, the alleged flight was detected as part of its counter-drone surveillance operations conducted during World Cup events at Dallas Stadium in Arlington.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould said in a statement that federal authorities would continue aggressively enforcing restrictions around major sporting events.
"The World Cup has been a blessing for North Texas, and it’s imperative that we remain vigilant in protecting fans and residents from potentially dangerous drones," Raybould said.
World Cup drone rules and FAA flight restrictions
The Federal Aviation Administration says a computer outage prompted the grounding of all flights in the United States overnight. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Dig deeper:
The FBI reiterated that a no-fly zone remains in effect around World Cup hosting venues beginning three hours before each match and continues for three hours afterward.
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FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock urged drone operators to check for flight restrictions before launching their aircraft.
"It is the drone operator’s responsibility to understand where Temporary Flight Restrictions exist," Rothrock said. "Before you fly a drone, I strongly encourage you to check for active flight restrictions using an FAA-approved B4UFLY service provider."
Violating those restrictions is a federal crime.
The case was investigated by the FBI Dallas Field Division, the Federal Air Marshal Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Arlington Police Department, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Federal prison time and penalties for tournament flight violations
What's next:
If convicted, Flores Ordonez faces up to three years in federal prison.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Texas.