DIY pilot lands in deep water after UAV flight

摘要

The UK Civil Aviation Authority has brought its first successful prosecution for the "dangerous and illegal flying" of an unmanned air vehicle. Robert Knowles, from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, was found to have flown the device closer than the minimum 50m (164ft) separation from the Jubilee Bridge across Walney Channel, and also through restricted airspace around BAE Systems' submarine testing facility at Barrow-in-Fur-ness. Both offences breached the UK's Air Navigation Order. The court heard that on 25 August 2013 a UAV was recovered from water near the nuclear submarine facility. Knowles, who admitted to building the fixed-wing device himself and flying it that day, was fined £800 (SI ,330) by the magistrate's court, and also faces costs of £3,500.