Canadian Tourist Charged with Illegal Drone Photography at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

A 71-year-old Canadian visitor faces federal charges after allegedly photographing classified areas at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station using a drone over three consecutive days. According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, Xiao Guang Pan, who was in the United States on a tourist visa, conducted unauthorized drone flights over the military installation from January 5-7, 2024, reports The Miami Herald.

Unauthorized Documentation of Restricted Areas

The charges allege Pan captured drone photographs of multiple classified and restricted areas without permission from any commanding officer.

According to prosecutors, the documented sites included:

• Space Launch complexes
• Military weapons bunkers
• Payload processing facility
• Submarine wharf

Court documents indicate Pan photographed a space launch complex and payload processing facility operated by two defense contractors on January 5 and 6. On January 7, he captured images of another complex and military equipment run by a third contractor. The specific defense contractors were not identified in the court filing, though several companies, including SpaceX, maintain operations at the base.

Legal Proceedings and Potential Consequences

Pan has been charged with three counts of use of aircraft for the unlawful photographing of defense installation without authorization. Each count carries a potential sentence of up to one year in prison. The government summoned Pan to appear in federal court in Orlando on February 14 to determine appropriate conditions for his release.

According to court documents, Pan has informed the government about recent medical concerns requiring prescription refills before March 11, with his doctor being located in Canada. As of February 14, information about Pan’s Legal representation was not available in court records.

Military Installation Response

Space Launch Delta 45, the Space Force unit responsible for managing military launch operations along the East Coast including Cape Canaveral, was contacted for comment but had not provided an immediate response. This unit oversees the restricted areas where the alleged unauthorized drone photography took place.

DroneXL’s Take

This case highlights the intersection of civilian drone use and military installation security protocols. As commercially available drone technology becomes more prevalent, incidents like this underscore the importance of understanding and respecting legal restrictions around sensitive military installations. The outcome of this case may provide important precedent for future incidents involving unauthorized drone photography of restricted government facilities.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​