The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) is investigating two people who were flying their drones last night in Center City Charlotte.
Officers did not offer any further comment about the drone pilots.
Officers located two men flying drones Uptown last night. FAA investigating. #Snoopy had a close call with a drone last week.
— CMPD News (@CMPD) June 15, 2017
Last week, CMPD’s Snoopy helicopter pilots had to take evasive action to avoid the drone as it passed within 20 feet over the crowded BB&T Ballpark.
They sent out this tweet, asking for anyone with information about the illegal drone pilots.
#Snoopy nearly struck a drone over Uptown at 8:50 pm tonight. Anyone w/ info about drone pilot, please call Crime Stoppers (704) 334-1600.
— CMPD News (@CMPD) June 8, 2017
I recently spoke with one of the Snoopy pilots who told me that it’s illegal to fly drones for recreation (without a commercial licence) in Uptown Charlotte, due to its proximity to the airport.
Federal rules prohibit flying over a crowded area, flying over 400 feet in the air, and taking any photos or videos of private property without prior consent.
Over the past couple years, drones have become increasingly popular for amateur photographers and videographers, especially around Uptown:
According to the NCDOT, there are now over 20,000 registered drones North Carolina, including those with commercial licenses.