Drone Enthusiast Fined For Flights Near Event And Airport

In a recent brush with the law, a drone hobbyist in the United Kingdom was slapped with a hefty fine after recklessly piloting his device in restricted areas. Daniel Cesare, 36, faced substantial charges after flying his drone near East Midlands Airport to capture aerial views of the Download rock festival at Donington Park, Leicestershire. Notably, this location falls within the airport’s “flight restriction zone.”

Cesare, a resident of Spondon, Derby, reportedly pleaded guilty to a slew of offenses, including:

• Flying an unmanned aircraft in a flight restriction zone without permission (two counts)
• Surpassing the Legal altitude limit for drone operations (two counts)
• Piloting his drone beyond visual range (two counts)
• Failing to exhibit a mandatory registration number on his drone

Furthermore, Cesare accepted responsibility for an additional 13 drone-related infractions. As a result, South Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court ruled that his DJI Mavic 2 drone be…