Yellowknife man fined, grounded for 3 years, flew drone too close to airport

YELLOWKNIFE — A drone pilot who flew a small device too close to incoming aircraft at Yellowknife airport has been fined and grounded for three years.

RCMP say Toufic Chamas was charged in September 2017 with one count of dangerous operation of an aircraft.

Mounties say they began investigating after getting complaints about what RCMP call a “Remotely Piloted Aircraft System” flying around the city, including near the airport.

The Public Prosecution Service of Canada handled the case in territorial court.

RCMP say Chamas was fined $3,000 and prohibited from flying for three years — the maximum sentence for a first offence.

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RCMP say it was the first conviction on this type of charge regarding unsafe operation of a drone.

“The public is reminded they need to know how to operate these types of aircraft safely and legally,” Insp. Alex Laporte, Yellowknife RCMP Detachment Commander said Thursday in a release.

The Canadian Press