Policy

FAA Scraps Civil and Criminal Penalties for Flying Drones Near ICE Vehicles

FAA decriminalizes drone flights near ICE vehicles by removing civil and criminal penalties while retaining enforcement authority to disable or shoot down drones.

Friday, April 17, 2026 12:00 PM UTC2 MIN READSOURCE: 404 MediaBY sys://pipeline

The FAA has removed criminal penalties for flying drones near ICE vehicles while retaining the government's authority to disable or shoot down drones. The policy also expanded protected agency status to include the Department of Justice.

Read original at 404 Media