Chinese National Arrested for Allegedly Flying Drone Over Military Base Under Investigation for Additional Offenses
Federal prosecutors contend that the defendant poses a flight risk and should be denied bail.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles is currently investigating a Chinese national who was detained and accused of operating a drone over the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on December 9, potentially facing more serious charges.
Yinpiao Zhou was taken into custody at San Francisco International Airport just before attempting to board a flight to China, at which time his drone was confiscated. Zhou was not arrested during this incident and was subsequently released.
On December 11, the case was unsealed, and the following day, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a motion challenging Zhou’s release, asserting that he is a flight risk.
In their motion, federal attorneys stated that the government “is continuing to investigate whether Zhou engaged in additional, more serious offenses.”
He is presently charged with one felony and one misdemeanor count, which collectively carry a maximum penalty of four years in prison. If found guilty, he could be deported from the United States or prohibited from becoming a citizen.
Prosecutors described Zhou’s actions as “brazen,” citing that he had researched photography regulations for the Vandenberg Space Force Base, which he would have learned was prohibited a month before he allegedly photographed the site. Zhou reportedly took pictures of the base during his first visit to the United States in a decade, with a flight to return to China scheduled for a week later.
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“Zhou did not commit a youthful mistake or a mere accident,” the December 12 court filing states. “This was a calculated operation that jeopardized exposing—and may have exposed—significant national security information through aerial photography of a military installation.”
SpaceX was selected by the U.S. Space Force to carry out nine national security missions under its National Security Space Launch phase three program, as announced on October 18.
According to court documents, an SD card containing “multiple photographs of [the base] taken from an aerial perspective” was recovered from Zhou’s drone.
During Zhou’s hearing on December 12, federal prosecutors argued that his alleged actions were premeditated and exhibited a “level of sophistication.”
“This kind of crime is incredibly challenging to detect,” stated federal attorney Galen Phillips, adding that it was only because the Vandenberg Space Force Base utilized drone detection technology that Zhou’s drone was identified.
Phillips further noted that when Zhou was initially approached, “he lied about who he believed the pilot of the drone to be.”
The court initially released Zhou on bail with conditions to surrender his drone and passport and maintain distance from military installations, but it temporarily stayed the order to allow federal prosecutors to appeal.
District Court Judge Hernán Vera conducted a hearing on December 16 regarding the request to deny bail but has yet to issue a decision.
