Be careful where you fly your drone.
The Federal Aviation Administration proposed a $1.9 million fine on a drone operator that made flights without the proper clearance from air traffic control.
SkyPan International, Inc. is accused of making 65 such flights from March 21, 2012 through December 15, 2014.
According to an FAA statement, the flights were made in New York City and Chicago — areas with “congested airspace.”
This is the largest civil penalty ever proposed by the FAA against a drone operator.
SkyPan provides clients with aerial photos of cityscapes that it collects using special mini-helicopters equipped with cameras.
“Flying unmanned aircraft in violation of the Federal Aviation Regulations is illegal and can be dangerous,” FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said. “We have the safest airspace in the world, and everyone who uses it must understand and observe our comprehensive set of rules and regulations.”
The FAA also said the unmanned aircraft didn’t have the proper certification and registration. Additionally, 43 of the flights were made in NYC’s highly restricted airspace and didn’t receive clearance from air traffic control.
The FAA notified SkyPan of the penalties in a letter. After receiving notice, the company has 30 days to respond to the FAA’s proposed fine.
SkyPan told CNNMoney that it had not yet reviewed the case and could not comment on the fine.