Drone News: Man Sentenced for Shooting Drone, SkyeBrowse Lite, & AMA Approved for Temporary FRIAs

Welcome to the 250th episode of your Weekly UAS News Update. That’s right, 250! We have three stories for you this week: the sentencing of a Florida man after shooting down a drone, the release of SkyBrowse Light, and lastly, the AMA’s approval for temporary flight restrictions areas (FRAs). Let’s dive in.

Sentencing of a Florida Man after Shooting Down Drone

First up this week is an update on a story we’ve been covering since 2021. Back in 2021, a sheriff’s drone, while searching for burglary suspects, was shot down by a man who claimed the drone was harassing him. The drone, a $30,000 Matrice 300, crashed into a nearby building and caught fire. Fortunately, the fire was quickly contained, and there was no permanent damage to the structure. The man, Wendell Doyle Goney, was identified as a person of interest and was contacted by the Police shortly after the crash. Goney claimed the drone was harassing him and admitted to shooting it down with a .22 rifle. Deputies then arrested him for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. This week, a U.S. District Judge sentenced the 29-time felon to a four-year prison term for the incident. We’ll have to see if this sets a precedent for other court cases, but I have a feeling this is a very specific situation.

SkyBrowse released a Light version

Next, let’s talk about our friends over at SkyBrowse. SkyBrowse released a Light version of their software this week, introducing a monthly plan positioned between the free and Enterprise versions. The Light version offers higher accuracy down to two inches and priority processing for $49 a month. If you’re not familiar with SkyBrowse, it’s an online processing software that uses videos to create 3D models, unlike most software that relies on photos. These videos can come from nearly any source, which is quite innovative. Moreover, it doesn’t require GPS information. For those not interested in the paid model, SkyBrowse also offers a premium version, allowing users to pay to unlock any tools they need when using the platform.

AMA’s approval for Temporary Flight Restrictions Areas

For our final story this week, the AMA has received approval from the FAA for temporary FRIAs. However, this approval is only applicable to AMA events at this stage. It’s uncertain if it will be extended to other community-based organizations like the Flite Test Community Association or the FPV Freedom Coalition, or even STEM+C. Notices to airmen (NOTAMs) will be required for these events at least 24 hours in advance, and participants must be AMA members. So, if you’re not a member and hoping to participate, you’ll need to pay the AMA fee.

That’s all we have for you this week. No live show on Monday, as a reminder, since I will be traveling to Texas for a conference. We’ll see you on Friday for the next news update.

Stay tuned for more updates, and thank you for tuning in to the 250th episode of Your Weekly UAS News Update.