(Bloomberg) -- U.S. regulators are proposing the largest fine to date against a Chicago company for flying unmanned aircraft in congested airspace, as the agency tries to crack down on the potential safety risks of booming drone use.
The Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday it was recommending a $1.9 million fine against SkyPan International Inc., which made 65 drone flights from 2012 to 2014 in airspace above highly populated areas. The flights were for aerial photography, the agency said in a press release.
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The enforcement action comes as the FAA has struggled to enforce existing regulations on drones and as it attempts to finalize the first regulations allowing small unmanned vehicles to operate commercially. Drone sightings by pilots, including close-calls with airliners, have surged from only a handful a month last year to over 100 per month.
The agency said SkyPan operated “in a careless or reckless manner.” The company flew 43 flights in New York, where drone flights are restricted because of the proximity to large commercial airports and the city’s dense population, according to the FAA.
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