A Chinese graduate student at the University of Minnesota is facing rare Espionage Act charges related to drone photography near a U.S. naval shipyard in Virginia.

Shi Fengyun, currently restricted to Virginia while awaiting trial, is accused of violating two seldom-used provisions of the Espionage Act, which prohibit photographing vital military installations and using aircraft (in this case, a drone) to do so.

Court documents allege that in January 2024, Shi travelled to Virginia on leave from his studies and rented a car. He allegedly flew a drone in bad weather near the Newport News Shipyard, a facility actively manufacturing nuclear submarines and the latest generation of U.S. Navy aircraft carriers.

When the drone became lodged in a tree, Shi reportedly approached a neighbour for help. The neighbour, suspicious of Shi’s nationality and purpose, contacted authorities who questioned him. Shi then abandoned the scene, leaving the drone behind. Examination of the drone’s memory card revealed images of the shipyard and BAE Systems facilities.