Representational imageA 71-year-old Canadian man who flew a DJI Mavic 3 Pro drone over restricted military locations at Cape Canaveral has actually pleaded guilty to federal charges, offering brand-new details into how an ordinary tourist utilized high-end customer drone tech to breach a few of Americas most safe airspace.Xiao Guang Pan has admitted in a plea agreement that he launched his powerful drone 9 separate times in early January 2025 to capture thousands of high-resolution pictures of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station a site important to US area and defense operations.According to court documents shared by Florida Politics, Pan flew the drone from a public parking lot near Port Canaveral between January 5 and 7.
Over those 3 days, his DJI Mavic 3 Pro geared up with a Hasselblad cam and 28x hybrid zoom recorded 1,919 images and videos.
Of these, nearly 250 images and videos revealed delicate military areas such as: Payload processing facilitiesRocket launch padsMunitions storage bunkersA wharf for submarinesSecurity checkpointsMission control centersMany of these areas are thought about crucial to national defense under United States law, and photographing them without authorization breaks Title 18, Section 795 of the US Code.Advertisement - scroll for more contentPans tool of choice, the DJI Mavic 3 Pro, is among the most sophisticated customer drones on the marketplace.
Its 4/3-inch Hasselblad sensing unit, 46-minute flight time, and omnidirectional challenge sensing make it ideal for expert imaging and, as this case proves, possibly for espionage.Despite DJIs integrated geofencing implied to avoid flights in limited zones, Pans drone experienced no flight constraints.
According to private investigators, his phone included screenshots of Cape Canaveral satellite images, recommending he knew what he was targeting.Shortly after this occurrence, on January 13, DJI announced that it wasscrapping its proprietary geofencing system in favor of official Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data across the United States.
The drone maker was fast to point out that this advancement was prepared months back, and that the move mirrored similar changes the company made in Europe in 2024.
As part of the plea offer, Pan has actually pleaded guilty to three counts of photographing defense setups utilizing an unmanned aircraft.
Each count brings approximately one year in federal prison and a $100,000 fine, though prosecutors have hinted theyll suggest a lighter sentence.Pans sentencing is set up for October 1, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
He remains out on bond however might deal with deportation and a lifetime ban from returning to the United States.In the meantime, federal officials have highlighted this wasnt an isolated occurrence.
In recent months, theres been a surge in suspicious drone activity near military setups across the country, triggering require harder drone guidelines and much better airspace enforcement.For drone enthusiasts, this case serves as a wake-up call: flying near delicate locations, unintentionally or otherwise, can land you in severe legal trouble.More: DJI releases Power 1000 V2, however not for United States buyersFTC: We use income making vehicle affiliate links.More.