COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A Decatur man was ordered to pay a fine and will serve six months on probation after pleading guilty to violating national defense airspace over the summer.
Mitchell Parsons Hughes, a Decatur resident, pleaded guilty to illegally flying a drone over Truist Park during the MLB All-Star game in July.
Hughes was sentenced to six months’ probation and fined $500 after admitting to flying the drone despite warnings about flight restrictions.
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The Federal Aviation Administration had implemented a temporary flight restriction for the event, designating Truist Park as a No Drone Zone during the July 15 MLB All-Star game.
“Anyone attempting to fly a drone in a prohibited manner can expect to be prosecuted,” U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said in a statement. “Flight restrictions are implemented for the safety of everyone, whether at the event or nearby.”
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This restriction prohibited drones from operating within a one nautical mile radius of the stadium.
Introducing a TFR for stadiums or sports venues hosting major events is standard practice for leagues such as the NFL, MLB, NCAA Division I, Major League Soccer, and NASCAR, according to the Justice Department.
“Flying a small drone means you are flying an aircraft, and unsafe behavior will cost you,” FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown said.
The restrictions are enforced one hour before the event starts and last until one hour after it ends.During the MLB All-Star game, Hughes flew a drone directly over Truist Park despite warnings on his drone’s control panel.
Hughes also admitted that his drone was not registered and that he lacked the required training and licensing, including a remote pilot certificate, to operate a UAS.
“Drone regulations protect the public and ensure the safety of our national airspace,” Joseph Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General’s Southern Region, said.
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