Four arrested in Beijing after UAV causes flight delays

Four people have been detained by police in Beijing for navigating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) into the airspace of Beijing Capital International Airport, which caused delays for more than 10 passenger flights, reports the local Beijing News.

The drone was detected on Dec. 29 by the Civil Aviation Administration over the international airport at 11:00 am. The UAV was seen flying at 700 feet at a speed of more than 100 kilometers an hour.

Two civilian airplanes were forced to alter their flight courses to maneuver away from one another and the drone, while the local authority dispatched a helicopter to intercept the UAV.

Four people involved in the case have since been detained and charged with “endangering public security” and “seriously interrupting flight order.”

Local police said the drone was modified from a model airplane to conduct surveying and mapping operations to the east of the airport. The investigation found that the four suspects were employees working for a local company, and they had failed to apply for approval to conduct such an operation, according to the Civilian Use of Drones Regulations.

“All unmanned aircraft are banned from entering the 15 kilometer range of airports and from flying higher than 100 meters on flight courses elsewhere,” said Feng Chang, co-founder of the Beijing FlyCam, during an interview with the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post on Dec 31st.