The owner of a Chicago-based aerial photography company is calling the Federal Aviation Administration’s proposal to fine his company almost $2 million dollars ridiculous.
SkyPan International owner Mark Segal says the FAA is trying to catch up after years of neglecting to deal with the drone industry.
“In the end the FAA is kind of smearing us because they can.”
The FAA is proposing the record penalty because SkyPan conducted 65 illegal flights of unmanned aircrafts over the course of two years. Segal says the FAA gave no warning of potential infractions to the company. But an FAA spokesman says SkyPan was notified on several occasions of the violations and the company refused to comply.