US EditionDuluth Native Sues FAA over Drone Ban Near Immigration Agents
Levine says the rule is vague and chills First Amendment newsgathering, while a coalition of major news groups has urged the FAA to reverse it.
- Minneapolis-Based freelance photographer Rob Levine filed a petition last month challenging a Federal Aviation Administration ban on drone flights within 3,000 feet of Department of Homeland Security facilities and mobile assets.
- Levine argues the Jan. 16 notice effectively grounds journalists, preventing them from documenting federal agents and infringing on First Amendment rights through unconstitutionally vague language.
- His attorney, Grayson Clary of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, called the restriction "arbitrary and capricious," noting unmarked vehicles make compliance impossible for operators in urban areas.
- Major news organizations including The New York Times, Washington Post, and National Press Photographers Association sent a letter to the FAA in January criticizing the policy as placing journalists at significant risk of criminal penalties.
- The petition for judicial review is filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, where Clary expects the case to proceed before a three-judge panel after the FAA provides documentation.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Post Bulletin
Minnesota photographer sues FAA over drone ban near immigration agents
MINNEAPOLIS — A Minnesota photographer is suing the Federal Aviation Administration over a strict, nationwide ban on drones near immigration enforcement activities. Rob Levine, a freelance photographer based in Minneapolis and formerly of Duluth, filed the petition last month, challenging the agency’s no-fly zone within 3,000 feet of Department of Homeland Security buildings and vehicles. “It really sent a chill down my spine, because the penalt…
Duluth native sues FAA over drone ban near immigration agents
WASHINGTON — A Duluth native is suing the Federal Aviation Administration over a strict, nationwide ban on drones near immigration enforcement activities. Rob Levine, a freelance photographer based in Minneapolis, filed the petition last month, challenging the agency’s no-fly zone within 3,000 feet of Department of Homeland Security buildings and vehicles. “It really sent a chill down my spine, because the penalties are onerous,” Levine said. “T…
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