Chinese Citizen Charged for Flying Drone Over Vandenberg Space Force Base

The suspect, a U.S. permanent resident, allegedly captured aerial photos of the base and attempted to leave the country before his arrest.

Yinpiao Zhou, a 39-year-old Chinese citizen and U.S. permanent resident, was arrested at San Francisco International Airport while preparing to board a flight to China.
Zhou is accused of flying a drone over Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, violating national defense airspace and failing to register the aircraft as required by law.
Federal investigators allege Zhou used a hacked drone to bypass altitude restrictions, capturing aerial images of the base, including areas related to SpaceX operations and U.S. defense missions.
Evidence from Zhou's cellphone revealed prior research on drone regulations for the base and communications about modifying his drone to fly higher than permitted.
If convicted, Zhou faces up to four years in federal prison; his arraignment is expected to take place in Los Angeles in the coming weeks.