When flying objects started to be spotted over New Jersey and surrounding states in mid-November 2024, speculation about what could be happening was wild. The resounding opinion of those who saw them hovering near their homes was that they were large drones roughly the size of a family car.
Some lawmakers asked for answers while most played it down, citing helicopters and stars as what the public were mistakenly identifying as something altogether more nefarious.
Ultimately, the White House announced on January 28 that, as so many had suspected, they were, in fact, drones and that the flights were authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) “for research and various other reasons.”
Regardless of the true reason for the flights and the wall of silence from officials at the time, these sightings set off a month of bad publicity for the drone industry in the U.S.
A Drone-Related Injury and Firefighting Interference
On December 21, a light show in Orlando, Florida went awry, resulting in a 7-year-old boy being struck and seriously injured by a drone. A preliminary report from the NTSB revealed that “combined errors” right before the show’s start led to a misaligned flight path.
On January 9, a water-dropping “super scooper” was grounded after it was hit and damaged by a civilian drone while flying over the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles. The drone, and ultimately its owner, was identified from parts buried in the leading edge of the aircraft’s wing. A California man has since pleaded guilty to one count of unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft and faces up to a year in federal prison.
Potential Drone Restrictions
Layered onto recent events is the ongoing threat of a mass restriction of Chinese drones in the U.S. Chinese companies (including the giant DJI, which dominates the industry) account for over 75% of the U.S. drone market. Banning them would upend the industry and create a huge vacuum.
This would indeed be bad news for drone operators and the myriad industries and companies that benefit from their utility. There are U.S. companies that offer similar products to DJI, but it would be hard for operators to make the switch and difficult for the manufacturers to keep up with demand to supply drones for photography flights through to agricultural spraying.
Why Drones Get Bad Press
A large part of the reason for much of the bad publicity that drones attract can be attributed to two competing factors. On the one hand, drones are widely accessible. From hobby stores and big box appliance chains to farm shops, it is easy to acquire a drone that provides a lot of utility for a couple of thousand dollars or less.
Opposing that ease of purchase is the complexity of rules that govern their flight. While the initial rules in the U.S., published in 2016 under CFR Part 107, were easy to digest and follow, the many changes and enhancements released in subsequent years have made compliance increasingly burdensome for operators.
As a leading insurer of unmanned aircraft, Global Aerospace witnesses several instances every week where operators, including Fortune 500 companies, struggle to comprehend exactly what is required of them to stay legal. Much of this lack of understanding appears to come from the tendency to scroll through headlines rather than delve into the details.
The rule that creates the most confusion relates to flights over people. With four categories of drones based on weight and other criteria, coupled with a complex waiver system that requires manufacturers to self-certify compliance, misunderstanding is rife.
Another area where it is easy to run into trouble is overseas flights. Small drones are highly portable, but there is little parity in regulations around the world. From an insurance perspective, any drone registered and based in a country will generally require local insurance. That means that a global corporation might need multiple small policies.
Stepped-Up Drone Regulation Enforcement
The uncertainty around regulations is certainly no excuse for illegal flights. However, it is becoming easier to differentiate between operators who innocently step over the line of illegality and those who make a habit of it.
Fortunately, officials in the U.S. are upping their enforcement game. In addition to the LA wildfire case, complaints have been filed in at least two other cases.
In the first, federal prosecutors filed a civil complaint against Michael DiCiurcio, the creator behind PhillyDroneLife, in early 2024. DiCiurcio is alleged to have repeatedly flown his drones through severe fog and wind at night and into controlled airspace by the Philadelphia International Airport, in addition to flying close to Center City skyscrapers and landmarks. According to the complaint, DiCiurcio received three warnings from the FAA and does not hold a remote pilot license.
Per the terms of the consent judgment finalized in late January 2025, DiCiurcio admitted to wrongdoing and agreed never to operate a small, unmanned aircraft system of any kind in the U.S.
As recently as February 2025, a Baltimore man is facing federal felony charges after authorities say he illegally flew a drone over M&T Bank Stadium, forcing a temporary suspension of the Ravens’ NFL Wild Card Game against the Steelers. The man has been charged with knowingly operating an unregistered drone, flying without an airman’s certificate, and violating U.S. National Defense Airspace, federal prosecutors announced.
Responsible Drone Operation Is Essential
The drone industry in the U.S. would benefit from a period of fewer news stories and relative stability. To stave off calls for widespread bans, compliance with the rules is a first step.
Wider enforcement is one aspect. Up to now, there has been little consequence for rogue operators flying recklessly. The other is education. There is an ongoing need to instill a sense of responsibility that comes with holding a pilot license and operating in the national airspace.
The next 12 months will be crucial for the U.S. drone industry at large. Let’s at least hope the drone operators can do their part to stay out of the headlines!
Chris Proudlove, SVP, Senior Underwriting Manager
Global Aerospace
Chris Proudlove joined Global Aerospace in 2005 and led the General Aviation team in London before transitioning to the US Home Office in 2011. Chris’ current role is Senior Vice President, Senior Underwriting Manager, based in New Jersey. In this role, Chris has led the development team for Global’s unmanned and emerging technology underwriting strategy and product development. Prior to joining Global Aerospace, Chris spent 20 years in the London market with a focus on international special risks. As author of Global Aerospace’s white papers on UAS risks, panelist and presenter at numerous conferences and seminars and contributor to dozens of articles, Chris is widely respected as an industry expert on unmanned insurance, risk management and safety. Chris is the founding Chairman of the Unmanned Aircraft System Insurance Association (UASIA) and a member of the NBAA Emerging Technology committee.
About Global Aerospace
Global Aerospace has a century of experience and powerful passion for providing aviation insurance solutions that protect industry stakeholders and empower the industry to thrive. With financial stability from a pool of the world’s foremost capital, we leverage innovative ideas, advanced technology and a powerful synergy among diverse team members to underwrite and process claims for the many risks our clients face. Headquartered in the UK, we have offices in Canada, France, Germany and throughout the United States. Learn more at https://www.global-aero.com/
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Source: Prodigy.press
Release ID: 1336964
