Smashed and soaring! Man convicted of ‘Drink Droning’ under the influence in Sweden’s first case of its kind.
Drone flying near commercial aeroplanes.
Credit: Shutterstock, Jag_cz
‘Drunk Droning:‘ 55-year-old man caught smashed while piloting a drone around restricted airspace.
A Swedish man has become the first person in the country to be convicted of ‘drone-driving‘ while drunk – after police caught him flying the gadget at a classic car event while over the legal booze limit.
The 55-year-old was fined 32,000 SEK (around 2,500 euros) after officers spotted his rogue device buzzing through the sky in a restricted no-fly zone over Rättvik, central Sweden. When police tracked the drone’s pilot, they found the man swaying by the controls – later discovering his bloodstream contained 0.69 parts alcohol per 1,000.
Sweden, known for its tough drink-driving laws, sets the legal alcohol limit at 0.2 parts per 1,000. By comparison, the UK allows up to 0.8, while Spain, France, and Belgium set the cap at 0.5. Romania and Hungary?
Zero tolerance for driving drones while drunk
Despite being caught red-handed – or rather, red-eyed and staggering – the man tried to dodge responsibility, later blaming a ‘friend‘ who conveniently wasn’t there when police swooped in. The court wasn’t buying it and handed down the fine, to be paid over 80 days at 400 SEK (around 45 euros) a pop.
The conviction is the first of its kind in Sweden, with prosecutor Jenny Holden Nyström telling broadcaster SVT: “I have not seen a case like this before. I am satisfied with the verdict.”
Judge Karin Hellmont explained that the court applied the same legal framework as it would for a drink-driving case. “It is an aircraft. Even though it flies itself, it’s controlled by someone on the ground and could drop from a great height and injure someone.”
So anyone tempted to mix booze with high-flying gadgets – think again. Sweden has made it crystal clear: If you’re flying high, you’d better be stone-cold sober.
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