A Chinese tourist is facing federal charges after authorities say he flew a drone into the restricted airspace around NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, capturing video near launch pads that support America’s most iconic space missions.
A Chinese man faces arraignment on two federal crimes after he flew a drone in restricted airspace above NASA’s Kennedy Space Center — encroaching within 1.56 miles of the Artemis-based pad 39B, a court affidavit said.
The evening of July 25, KSC police responded to Playalinda Beach Access #8 at Canaveral National Seashore and saw Xiaodong He operating the drone, the affidavit said. The drone had flown for 12 minutes and 24 seconds and recorded four videos, reaching a maximum altitude of 231 feet and capturing footage of KSC pads 39A and 39B, the Atlantic Ocean, Playalinda Beach, the Indian River Lagoon and North Kennedy Parkway.
He was accompanied by three family members, and one told police they were vacationing in the United States and flew the drone to capture scenery, the affidavit said. The Federal Aviation Administration has designated a restricted national defense airspace above KSC. All unmanned aircraft are prohibited, except when approved by NASA and the FAA.
The tourist says he didn’t know flying a drone near the launch pads was illegal.
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