You are attending a high school football game at night and observe someone flying their unmanned aircraft over the players and spectators at the football stadium. The aircraft, estimated to weigh around 5 lbs, appears to be flying as low as goal post level. An FAA Aviation Safety Inspector (ASI) who was at the game, approaches the individual who states that he was just flying his aircraft for recreation (refer to the AA FSIMS Volume 16 Unmanned Aircraft Systems – Chapter 5 Surveillance/Compliance And Enforcement – Section 3 Compliance and Enforcement (Link to an external site: https://fsims.faa.gov/PICDetail.aspx?docId=8900.1,Vol.16,Ch5,Sec3) When the FAA ASI asks him for his remote pilot certificate, he responds in slurred speech with alcohol on his breath, that he did not possess one. The FAA ASI then directs the individual to cease his flying activities, records his name and address, and informs him that he will be contacted by the FAA in a few days. Later that evening the FAA ASI also discovers that the individual had taken videos of the game with the UA’s camera and had posted them on a monetized Web site (e.g. Youtube).
Discuss which FAA regulations and/or guidance were violated and what compliance and enforcement action (e.g., type of violation, severity, sanctions) you would expect to be imposed on the person flying the unmanned aircraft (refer to the AA Compliance and Enforcement Program Order 2150.3C CHG 3 (PDF) (Link to an external site: https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/FAA_2150.3C_with_CHG_3.pdf).
Additional Readings, Resources, & Video
https://www.faa.gov/uas/resources/C_uas/media/Interagency_Legal_Advisory_on_UAS_Detection_and_Mitigation_Technologies.pdf
https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-20-29
https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ash/ash_programs/investigations/leap/
