Teacher Arrested For Crashing Drone At US Open
A teacher has been arrested in New York after a drone he as flying crashed into the spectator area of the Louis Armstrong Stadium at the US Open. Police have charged 26-year-old Daniel Verley with reckless endangerment and operating a drone in a public park outside of a prescribed area.
The incident took place during a tennis match between Flavia Pennetta and Monica Niculescu on Thursday. Fortunately, the stand where the drone crashed was mostly empty and nobody was injured.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Flavia said: “With everything going on in the world… I thought, ‘OK, it’s over.’ That’s how things happen. If there had been spectators, it would have hit them and done a lot of damage.“
The rising popularity of drones has caused problems for authorities around the world as thousands more people have taken to using the devices but laws have not evolved to stay up to date with the new technology.
Many people are also unaware that drones have to abide by aviation laws in much the same way as planes and helicopters. This has led to several people being charged for crimes they did not know they were breaking, prompting politicians and experts to ask manufacturers to supply more educational material with drones to guide people on the risks of using them.
