Law enforcement officials in Boston have arrested two men for allegedly flying a drone dangerously close to Logan Airport. The incident took place on Long Island in Boston Harbor, where a now decommissioned health campus is located.
The suspects, a 42-year-old man from Charlestown and a 32-year-old man from Bridgewater, Massachusetts, were charged with trespassing following their arrest on Saturday. Additional charges may be forthcoming as the investigation progresses.
The Boston Police Department was alerted to the situation around 4:30 p.m. on Saturday when an officer specializing in real-time crime surveillance detected an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) flying in close proximity to the airport. Using advanced monitoring technology, the officer was able to track the drone's location, altitude, flight history, and the operator's whereabouts on Long Island.
Due to the potential threat posed by the drone's proximity to the airport's airspace, law enforcement agencies including Homeland Security, State Police, Federal Communications Commission, and air traffic controllers were mobilized to address the situation. The Boston Police Harbor Patrol Unit was dispatched to Long Island, where they found three individuals inside the abandoned health campus.
Upon approaching the individuals, two of them fled on foot but were later apprehended and identified as the suspects. A drone was discovered in a backpack carried by one of the men. The search for the third suspect, who reportedly escaped the island by boat, is ongoing.
Both individuals are set to appear in Dorchester District Court for arraignment, with the possibility of additional charges pending the outcome of the investigation. The Boston Police Department emphasized the importance of adhering to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety guidelines for recreational drone operators, highlighting the risks drones pose to aircraft and the need to respect airspace restrictions.
