44-year-old Matthew Hebert from Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, has caught the attention of law enforcement due to his illicit drone activity.
Hebert faces three felony charges related to operating an unregistered drone, functioning as an uncertified airman, and violating national defense airspace.
Pennsylvania man faces up to four years for illegally flying drone over AFC Championship. https://t.co/d3s4x0GITZ
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) February 7, 2024
The incident occurred during an AFC Championship game, where Hebert allegedly flew this drone.
Drone flights are prohibited within a three-mile radius of stadiums that can accommodate at least 30,000 spectators during NFL games.
The authorities on duty noticed the unauthorized flight and were quick to trace the drone back to a nearby neighborhood, leading them to Hebert.
Upon confrontation, Hebert confessed to operating the drone. He revealed he had bought it online in 2021 and controlled it using an accompanying mobile app.
He further added that the app had previously stopped him from flying the drone due to certain flying restrictions.
However, during the Chiefs-Ravens game, the app allowed operation, which led Hebert to assume that it was legal to fly the drone that day.
Hebert’s assumptions came at a high cost. If convicted, he could face up to three years in federal prison for running an unregistered drone and for acting as an airman without a valid airman’s certificate.
Additionally, he could face another year in federal prison for knowingly violating United States national defense airspace.
