2 Arrested for Flying Drones 'Dangerously Close' to Boston Airport, While 3rd Suspect Fled in Boat: Police

Two men are facing charges this week after being accused of flying drones “dangerously close” to the Logan International Airport in Boston, according to police.

The Boston Police Department announced Robert Duffy, 42, and Jeremy Folcik, 32, were arrested after officers tracked their location via the drone they were flying near the airport.

“Both suspects face charges of trespassing, with additional fines or charges potentially forthcoming,” Boston police said in a statement Sunday. Police said there’s a third suspect still at large who managed to evade police on a small boat.

Boston police said officers responded after “a Boston Police Officer specializing in real-time crime surveillance detected an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operating dangerously close to Logan International Airport” while officers were then quickly able to identify “the drone’s location, altitude, flight history, and the operators’ position on Long Island” using “UAS monitoring technology.”

Police said three suspects “fled on foot” after officers located them. Two of the three suspects were caught, while authorities uncovered a backpack with a drone inside of it. Meanwhile, the third suspect managed to flee the scene.

“Operators are prohibited from flying drones over people or vehicles and must be aware of airspace restrictions,” the Boston Police Department said. “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.”

The charges against the two men come amid a growing concern about an increase of unidentified drone sightings around the northeastern United States in recent weeks.

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New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy personally asked President Joe Biden last Thursday for additional resources to be allocated towards the investigation into the mysterious drone sightings, according to The Associated Press.

The Pentagon has said the unidentified flying objects in question are not military drones, the AP reported, noting that the drones have been spotted near sensitive areas such as the Picatinny Arsenal – a military research base – as well as over President-elect Donald Trump’s personal golf club in New Jersey.

Noting that the ongoing reports about increased drone activity “has raised more questions than answers,” Murphy told Biden “it has become apparent that more resources are needed to fully understand what is behind this activity.”

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