A red and black quadcopter drone flies in this stock photo. CTV
A Brampton man has been sent back to Canada after pleading guilty to flying a drone near U.S. military and space facilities. Xiao Guang Pan was arrested in Orlando, Florida, on January 7, 2025, after NASA detected unusual drone activity near Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Brevard County officers found Pan operating a DJI Mavic Pro 3 drone from a nearby parking lot. The drone, equipped with a 4K camera, can cost between $2,500 and $5,000. Authorities alerted federal law enforcement.
Charges and Evidence
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Pan took photos of “vital defence installations,” including launch complexes, a payload facility, a submarine wharf, and munitions bunkers. He captured about 250 images and videos on January 5, 6, and 7, with the drone logging nine flights and 1,919 photos overall.
Pan told authorities he was photographing nature, sunrises, and cruise ports. He claimed he didn’t realize he was near a military site and hadn’t seen airspace warnings. However, agents found Google Maps screenshots on his phone showing Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Flight logs also showed multiple restricted airspace alerts sent to his device.
Guilty Plea and Sentence
On August 12, Pan pleaded guilty to three counts of using an aircraft to photograph defense installations without permission. He received 12 months’ unsupervised probation, was ordered to return to Canada, and must never return to the U.S. He also faces a US$75 assessment.
The investigation involved multiple agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, NASA, and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. Pan entered the U.S. through the Windsor-Detroit crossing in November 2024.
Back in Canada
Pan’s Instagram showed many drone photos from Canada and the U.S., including recent images from Texas and Orlando. The U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed his permanent residence is in Brampton, Ontario, and that he has been deported.
Court documents note Pan was born in China in 1953, moved to Canada in 2001, and settled in Brampton in 2003. A local arts organization said he was an active drone photographer who had traveled across the U.S., Europe, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. He retired from Best Buy in 2022 after 18 years.
The organization also confirmed that Pan’s work was selected for a city exhibition but that they had no recent contact with him.
Drone Concerns in the U.S.
Recent drone sightings have raised security concerns in the U.S. In New Jersey last December, some drones caused panic before authorities clarified they were part of authorized research.
