After the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy ships Qi Jiguang and Yimengshan were open to the public in Hong Kong on October 1st and 2nd, they departed Hong Kong via Victoria Harbour toward Lei Yue Mun at around 10 a.m. on October 3rd. While the two warships were leaving, an American national was arrested for allegedly flying a drone in a prohibited zone outside the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui.
The incident occurred at around 10:26 a.m., when passersby noticed the man flying a drone and called the police. Officers arrived at the scene and arrested the man on suspicion of violating the Small Unmanned Aircraft Order. The case has been handed over to Team 10 of the Yau Tsim District Criminal Investigation Division for follow-up.
It is understood that the arrested man, aged 52, is a Korean-American who works as an engineer and was visiting Hong Kong on a passport. During the operation, police seized a small drone.
The airspace around Victoria Harbour is narrow and frequented by helicopters, which is why it has been designated a "Restricted Flying Zone" to prevent drones from endangering aviation safety. Anyone who is not authorized, whether the remote pilot or drone owner, may bear criminal liability. Upon conviction, the maximum penalty is a fine of HKD 100,000 and imprisonment for two years.