Florida Man Arrested for Flying Drone While Under the Influence
A Florida man was arrested after police said he was flying a drone while under the influence of alcohol.
34-year-old Richard Carpenter was operating a small drone just after midnight on May 4 in the area of 8100 Martin Luther King Jr. Street North in St. Petersburg, Florida.
According to an affidavit reported by 10 Tampa Bay News, investigators say Carpenter was flying his drone while intoxicated at very low altitude, moving it back and forth near a vehicle and its open driver-side window, at speeds that could have caused injury or property damage.
When police arrived, Carpenter, who works as a contractor, told officers he had flown the drone because he believed someone was following him. Officers reported signs of impairment, including slurred speech, glassy eyes, and the smell of alcohol. Police say Carpenter also admitted to drinking alcohol before operating the drone.
Carpenter flew the “small, unmanned aerial system” repeatedly past the open driver’s side window of a man’s vehicle, according to police. Officers note that the drone’s blades “spin at a high rate of speed and could cause significant injury if it was to strike the victim.”
When asked by police what he was doing, Carpenter said he “thought the victim was following him since he has observed the victim’s vehicle in many different locations.”
Carpenter was arrested by the St. Petersburg Police Department and charged with operating an aircraft while intoxicated in a careless or reckless manner. He was released from county jail after posting bonds totaling $150,500 on felony and misdemeanor charges.
Do Not Drink and Drone
In the U.S., the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) classifies drones, even small ones, as “aircraft.” Federal rules prohibit operating any aircraft in a careless or reckless manner — thereby including while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In Florida, state law is more explicit about being under the influence while flying a drone. Florida law says it is illegal to operate an aircraft such as a drone “while intoxicated or in careless or reckless manner.”
New Jersey was reportedly the first U.S. state to specifically make it illegal to fly a drone while intoxicated. In 2018, the New Jersey Governor signed a law, which prohibits flying a drone with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher, the same as for driving a vehicle, or while drugged. Violators can face up to six months in jail, a $1,000 fine or both.
Earlier this month, the FAA designated all FIFA World Cup stadiums and event spaces as strict “No Drone Zones” and said it will impose criminal fines of up to $100,000 for flying aerial devices near them. The 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with the opening match scheduled for June 11.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
