Two Polish citizens were detained after conducting illegal flights with unmanned aerial vehicles in the immediate vicinity of the Presidential Palace in Warsaw. The men operated the devices in the so-called 'zero zone' and in the area of the University of Warsaw gardens, where a permanent flight ban is in effect. Police secured the equipment, and the prosecutor's office is supervising the proceedings. The detainees face a penalty of up to five years imprisonment for violating the provisions of the Aviation Law.
Detention of two operators
Two Polish citizens ended up in police custody after flying drones in a protected zone in central Warsaw.
Violation of the zero zone
Flights took place over the Presidential Palace and UW gardens, where an absolute ban is in effect.
Severe criminal consequences
The detainees have been charged under the Aviation Law; they face a penalty of up to 5 years imprisonment.
Two Polish citizens were detained by police officers in connection with the illegal use of drones in the strict center of Warsaw. The incident occurred in the area of the Presidential Palace and the University of Warsaw gardens. This is an area referred to as the zero zone, where the movement of any unmanned aerial vehicles without special permits is strictly prohibited. Officers immediately secured the devices as evidence in the case, and the perpetrators were taken for questioning.
2 — detained Polish citizens5 lat — maximum prison sentenceThe detained men have already been officially charged with violating the provisions of the Aviation Law act. According to applicable regulations, performing flights in a prohibited zone carries a penalty of imprisonment of up to five years. During procedural activities, the men admitted to the acts alleged against them. In their explanations, they indicated a lack of awareness of the existence of such restrictive limitations in this specific location. However, these explanations did not influence the decision to drop the charges, as the zone around the Presidential Palace is covered by a permanent and publicly announced flight ban.
Legal and operational status of the incident: Location: Presidential Palace / UW Gardens → Zone covered by permanent flight ban; Consequences: Recreational flight → Criminal charges and equipment seizureThis event fits into the rigorous approach of the services to protecting key state objects in the capital. Unmanned aerial vehicles are treated as a potential threat to security, which is why any attempt to use them near the seat of the head of state meets with an immediate reaction. The proceedings in this case are being conducted by the police under the strict supervision of the prosecutor's office, which underscores the gravity of the breach of security procedures in the heart of Warsaw.
Currently, investigators are analyzing data recorded in the memory of the seized drones to precisely reconstruct the flight path and check whether any images were recorded that could violate other regulations concerning the protection of strategic objects. Although the perpetrators claim ignorance, law enforcement agencies remind that every drone operator has an obligation to check current flight zones before launching the device. This case serves as a warning to other drone users that ignorance of the provisions of the Aviation Law does not exempt from criminal liability, especially in places with such a high security priority as Krakowskie Przedmieście.