Massachusetts man charged for flying drone over Boston Marathon

A 30-year-old Massachusetts man has been charged after flying a drone over one of the most high-profile sporting events—the 2024 Boston Marathon. Allan Nip of Boston operated the drone near the marathon’s finish line in April 2024, triggering a swift law enforcement response and raising serious public safety concerns.

According to an NBC NECN report, Nip’s drone was detected near the Boylston Street finish line just 20 minutes before the first wheelchair athletes completed the race. Boston Police, who were monitoring the skies around the event, quickly intercepted the drone mid-flight and safely landed it in a secure location in the Back Bay neighbourhood. The bomb squad was then called in to ensure the device posed no threat.

Officers later went to Nip’s apartment, where he admitted to flying the drone that morning.

Nip faced charges of operating a drone in restricted national defence airspace, a violation that carries steep penalties, including up to one year in prison and a USD $100,000 fine. However, he settled under a deferred prosecution agreement requiring him to pay USD 5,000 and forfeit his $4,000 drone.

According to the report, the U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts underlined that Nip disregarded multiple warnings from his drone’s controller, which notified him he was in a restricted zone. Additionally, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had issued specific notices ahead of the event, reminding the public that amateur drone flights were strictly prohibited near the start and finish lines of the marathon.

Since the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, security has been significantly heightened around the race, particularly near the finish line, where thousands of spectators gather to cheer on the athletes.

posted Sunday October 6th
by Running Magazine