CNN: Mavic Drone Pilot Arrested For Airliner Close Call

CNN, via the People’s Daily newspaper in China, is reporting that a drone pilot in Zjejang province has been taken into custody for flying too close to a passenger jet.

After taking the video footage with the DJI Mavic drone, the alleged drone pilot then posted the 8 second video to QQ, a popular Chinese messaging app.

DJI has expressed ‘strong condemnation’ of the illegal filming, which highlights one of the biggest struggles for the drone industry going forward.  As the number of privately owned drones increases, a lack of standardized rules and training has the potential to create issues down the road.

DJI’s own website actually has three areas devoted to drone safety, including a Google map that highlights no-fly zones based on location provided by the user.

The website also provides regulatory rules for 36 countries where it’s drones are sold.

The 8 seconds of video has been shared dozens of times on Youtube:

Have you familiarized yourself with your local drone regulations?  Even some municipalities have their own bylaws that are separate from state or national rules.