On December 16th, 2024, at around 9 : 05 – 9 : 10 AM, two men were arrested and detained in Boston over the weekend for flying a drone “
dangerously close ” to Logan International Airport.
Robert Duffy and Jeremy Folcik, the two men involved in this situation, were arrested Saturday evening, and taken into custody on Long Island, which is a part of the Boston Harbor Islands, ” following a hazardous drone operation near Logan Airport’s airspace, ” Boston police mentioned on a BBC NEWS article. ( Lenthang, December 16th ).
Both Robert and Jeremy were charged with trespassing.
According to the same BBC NEWS article, authorities said that a Boston officer was alerted about an unmanned drone, or as it’s written in the article, an aircraft system, flying near the airport. ( Lenthang, December 16th ).
The Boston Police Harbor Patrol Unit had been dispatched to the island where the drone had been detected and found Robert, Jeremy, and the unidentified third suspect inside a decommissioned Long Island Health Campus, according to Boston police mentioned in a CNN article. ( Levenson, December 16th ).
When authorities responded, the suspects, Robert and Jeremy fled the scene before later being apprehended. At this moment, there was a third suspect who was also at the scene alongside Robert and Jeremy but hasn’t been identified yet. The third person is suspected to have fledin a small vessel or vehicle, and the search for this person is still currently ongoing.
The Boston police has issued a statement located within an CNN article, warning that even small drones pose ” significant ” risks. The Boston Police Department reminds recreational drone operators of the importance of ” adhering to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety guidelines, ” police spoke in their statement regarding the issue. ( Levenson, December 16th ).
” Operators are prohibited from flying drones over people or vehicles and must be aware of airspace restrictions. Even small drones pose significant risks, including the potential for catastrophic damage to airplanes and helicopters. Near-collisions can cause pilots to veer off course, putting lives and property at risk. ” ( Levenson, December 16th ).
