A California man has been arrested and charged with flying a drone over Vandenberg Space Force Base and capturing aerial photographs of the sensitive military installation.
Yinpiao Zhou, 39, of Brentwood, was taken into custody on Monday at San Francisco International Airport as he attempted to board a flight to China. He faces federal charges of failing to register an aircraft and violating national defense airspace.
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According to court documents, Zhou’s drone was detected by Vandenberg’s security systems on November 30th, 2024. The drone flew for nearly an hour, reaching an altitude of almost a mile above ground level. Security personnel traced the drone’s origin to a nearby public park, where they found Zhou and another individual. Zhou was found to have the drone concealed in his jacket.
A subsequent search of Zhou’s drone revealed numerous aerial photographs of the Space Force Base. Furthermore, a search of his cellphone uncovered a Google search for “Vandenberg Space Force Base Drone Rules” conducted a month earlier, as well as messages discussing hacking the drone to increase its flight altitude.
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“This defendant allegedly flew a drone over a military base and took photos of the base’s layout, which is against the law,” stated United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “The security of our nation is of paramount importance and my office will continue to promote the safety of our nation’s military personnel and facilities.”
Zhou, a Chinese citizen and lawful permanent resident of the United States, made his initial court appearance on Tuesday. He remains in federal custody pending prosecutors’ appeal of a judge’s decision to release him. His arraignment is expected to take place in Los Angeles in the coming weeks.
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