Update: Escalon police say drone flight near two boys was not malicious
Escalon police got a report of a drone following two boys walking home from school, but it turned out to be not malicious.
A parent of one of the boys reported that the unmanned aerial device flew close to them near Dent Elementary School on Yosemite Avenue at about 2:30 p.m. Monday, the initial Facebook advisory said.
“The UAV followed the boys for a short distance and flew within feet of the juveniles before flying away,” the advisory said. “It was described only as a black, medium-sized quad copter.”
Tuesday morning, the mother of the drone operator came to the Police Department and said her son and friends had used it to observe construction at Dent. They saw the two boys wave at the device, so they flew it down close to them.
“They were not stalking anyone and had no ill intent,” an updated Facebook post said.
Drones are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration, which tries to keep them from interfering with commercial aircraft and other hazards.
The advisory noted that the Escalon Municipal Code has its own rules on the increasing popular devices. Chapter 9.45 says drones may not disrupt anyone’s “right to privacy, right to quiet enjoyment of his/her property, business operations or recreational activities.”
This story was originally published August 26, 2019 at 8:43 PM.
