Authorities apprehended two Massachusetts men on Saturday for operating a drone in close proximity to Boston's Logan International Airport, raising concerns about potential safety hazards. Robert Duffy, 42, and Jeremy Folcik, 32, were taken into custody on Long Island, situated near the airport's approach path.
Boston Police reported that an officer utilizing real-time surveillance technology detected the unmanned aircraft system (UAS) at approximately 4:30 PM. This technology allowed the officer to pinpoint the drone's location, altitude, flight path, and the operators' position on Long Island. Harbor Patrol officers were dispatched to the island, where they found three individuals within the abandoned Long Island Health Campus. Duffy and Folcik were apprehended after attempting to flee, and a drone was found in Duffy's backpack. The third individual escaped on a small boat.
Planes operating at Boston's Logan airport. (Stuart Cahill/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images)
Duffy and Folcik currently face trespassing charges, but authorities indicate that further charges and fines may be forthcoming. Due to the serious safety risks posed by the drone's operation near Logan's airspace, multiple agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, Massachusetts State Police, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Federal Communications Commission, and Logan Airport Air Traffic Control, were involved in the response.
Buildings on the abandoned Long Island near Boston, Mass. (Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
The Boston Police Department emphasized the importance of recreational drone operators adhering to FAA safety regulations, highlighting the potential dangers posed by drones, even small ones, to aircraft and the surrounding area.
Long Island, situated on the approach to Boston's Logan airport. (David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
