The FAA is investigating after drone video of a close encounter with the Blue Angels appeared online earlier this week. In one shot, the six F/A-18s appear to pass within a few hundred feet of the drone as they performed an America Strong formation flight over Detroit on May 12. The video appears to be authentic and that means the drone operator could be in real trouble if the FAA catches up to him. He’s allegedly been identified by some social media pundits.
As is standard procedure when events like this take place, the airspace was closed by a TFR at the time and the drone also appears to have been well above the legal operating altitude of 400 feet, not to mention over a built-up area. The operator could face jail time and thousands of dollars in fines for the admittedly spectacular footage. The video has been vigorously criticized on drone forums and social media.
