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A Chinese citizen has been arrested for allegedly flying an unregistered drone over a sensitive US military base in California and capturing aerial photographs of the sensitive military installation.
What’s the deal: According to the Department of Justice, Yinpiao Zhou, a 39-year-old Chinese citizen and permanent resident of the US, was arrested at San Francisco International Airport while attempting to board a China-bound flight. Zhou is accused of flying an unregistered drone over Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California, a critical site for US military and space operations. On November 30, 2024, drone detection systems at the base identified an unmanned aerial vehicle flying for nearly an hour, reaching an altitude of approximately one mile above ground level. The flight originated from Ocean Park, a public area near the base. Security personnel responded to the location and discovered Zhou with the drone concealed in his jacket. He was accompanied by another individual who had recently traveled from China.
A search of Zhou’s drone revealed multiple aerial photographs of Vandenberg Space Force Base, while a forensic investigation of his cellphone showed prior research into “Vandenberg Space Force Base Drone Rules.” Zhou had also exchanged messages discussing modifications to his drone to bypass altitude restrictions.
This all comes as the US has experienced an uptick in incidents involving Chinese nationals photographing or surveilling sensitive military sites using cameras and drones. Earlier this year, Wenheng Zhao, a Chinese-born US citizen, was sentenced to 27 months in prison for sharing classified information about US Navy exercises, operational security, and radar system designs with a Chinese intelligence operative. In another high-profile case, a Chinese national was caught taking pictures of the Naval Air Station in Key West, Florida, leading to heightened scrutiny of individuals near critical installations.
Digging Deeper: Vandenberg Space Force Base is a pivotal hub for US defense and space operations. It serves as the primary West Coast launch site for military, intelligence, and commercial satellite missions, hosting activities by the Department of Defense, NASA, and private aerospace companies like SpaceX. The base is also central to testing and deploying intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and housing advanced surveillance technologies critical for national security.
