By Emily White
The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.
SPOKANE, Wash. — In the past four days, 41 drones have been detected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Counter Unmanned Aerial System task force in Spokane.
On Monday, one unauthorized drone kept multiple firefighting aircrafts on the ground, Sheriff John Nowels said.
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Drones are a problem for disasters all over the country, Nowels said, but rumors that the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office is shooting them down is inaccurate.
“We’re using electronic countermeasures,” FBI UAS task force deputy Doug Hicks said on Wednesday. “It breaks the link between the drone and the controller, and it allows our people to go in and find the pilot. We can go in and talk to that pilot, and then we can get them to bring the drone down.”
Drone pilots are required to check with the Federal Aviation Administration, Hicks said. The current flight restriction in Spokane is up 24 hours a day until Aug. 14.
“We can’t have anything in the flight path of firefighting,” Hicks said.
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The task force uses radar and radio frequency to detect unauthorized drone usage in the Spokane airspace, Hicks said.
“If you see a drone, call 911, because they cannot be up there right now in a temporary flight restriction,” Hicks said.
People hindering or interfering with firefighting efforts can face up to two years in prison and a fine up to $100,000, Nowels said.
“Aerial firefighting tools are critical to saving lives and property during the horrific fires in and around Spokane,” Senator Maria Cantwell said in a statement. “The FAA has implemented temporary flight restrictions to stop non-firefighting aircraft from interfering with the heroic efforts of our first responders to fight these terrible wildfires, yet people continue to fly civilian drones in the area.”
Cantwell helped secure approval from federal officials so the task force can now bring down drones that aren’t authorized.
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