The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is warning the public that it’s illegal to operate a drone with a dangerous weapon attached.
It should be evident that attaching a weapon to a drone is a bad idea, but apparently, curiosity gets the best of us. There have been numerous photos and videos of drones with attached guns, flamethrowers, fireworks, and other dangerous items posted online. In case you haven’t seen the videos of what NOT to do with drones, here you go:
A weaponized drone in the wrong hands could potentially lead to a tragic incident injuring or worse killing many people. Unless you have federal authorization, you should not attempt to attach deadly weapons to a drone.
The FAA wants the public to know that anyone caught operating a drone with a weapon attached will be subject to civil penalties up to $25,000 for each violation, unless you have received specific authorization from theAdministrator of the FAA to conduct the operation.
Operating a drone that has a dangerous weapon attached to it is a violation of Section 363 of the 2018 FAA Reauthorization Act enacted Oct. 5, 2018. “Dangerous Weapon” means any item that is used for, or is readily capable of, causing death or serious bodily injury. Operators should keep in mind that federal regulations and statutes that generally govern drone operations still apply. Some state and federal criminal laws regarding weapons and hazardous materials may also apply to drone operators.
Please drone responsibly!