Early Monday morning, the drone’s owner, who asked not to be identified, says his friend was operating the quadcopter inside his apartment which is located within 10 blocks of the White House.
The owner, who says he was not at his friend’s apartment at the time, explains it was the unfortunate decision to fly the drone outside the apartment window that initially led to the embarrassing run-in with the U.S. Secret Service. But a glitch with the quadcopter’s controls, known as a “flyaway” to drone operators, is also to blame, the owner added. Moments after the drone was flying outside of the building, it inexplicably zoomed off in an easterly direction toward the White House, the owner said.
The drone operator has not been identified by the Secret Service as no arrests were made after the incident. A Secret Service spokesman said the agency’s initial investigation indicated the operator was using the drone for “recreational” purposes. The flyer, an employee of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, self-reported his involvement to authorities hours after the crash, the Secret Service spokesman said.
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It is a violation to fly drones in Washington D.C., punishable up to a year in jail and a fine.
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