Drone Pilot Found Guilty of Breaching Safety Rules at Snow Patrol Concert

Judge fines operator €5,000.

Pilot guilty found guilty of multiple violations of drone regulations.

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), in cooperation with An Garda Síochána, has successfully brought a prosecution with respect to a drone security occurrence in March 2024, and safety incidents at a Snow Patrol concert at Thomond Park, Limerick City, which took place in July 2024.

The defendant, Mr. Krzysztof Luszczki, pleaded guilty to operating a drone over 120m and within a prohibited area without authorisation. Following trial, he was additionally found guilty of operating a drone beyond visual line-of-sight, and at an unsafe distance from assemblies of people, without authorisation. Judge Catherine Ryan ordered the defendant to pay a fine of €4,000, and a contribution towards costs of €1,000.

He was known to the IAA and despite his experience as a drone pilot, the operator did not have the correct authorisation to operate a drone within the prohibited airspace, nor to fly the drone over 120m, beyond visual line-of-sight, or close to assemblies of people at the concert.

His actions posed a potential security risk and a safety risk to the people attending the concert. Flying in close proximity to assemblies of people is considered a particularly high-risk activity, as those under the drone cannot safely move away if the drone malfunctions. Flying beyond visual line-of-sight and above 120m without the appropriate training or safety mitigations has the potential to endanger manned aircraft in flight.

The incident was reported by a member of the public and An Garda Síochána respectively, who advised the IAA of the occurrences. The IAA worked closely with An Garda Síochána on the investigation and subsequent prosecution.

The IAA’s investigator, Brian Thornton commented on the need to ensure that public safety is maintained through the correct use of drones:

“As Ireland’s Civil Aviation Regulator, public safety is our highest priority. Operating a drone in a concert environment with large crowds poses a significant risk to attendees if the drone were to lose control, while flying above 120 metres places the drone into airspace where the potential for conflict with manned aircraft increases. In this case, operating beyond visual line-of-sight significantly reduced the pilot’s ability to monitor manned aircraft and assess crowd density on the ground. Drone pilots must always ensure they are aware of airspace restrictions and comply with aviation safety regulations before flying.”

Inspector Padraigh Sutton, An Garda Síochána Limerick Divisional Roads Policing Unit said: “The unauthorised operation of drones over events, concerts or large gatherings is illegal. These flights can endanger the public and disrupt emergency operations. An Garda Síochána, in cooperation with the IAA, will investigate all reports of illegal drone use, and offenders will be prosecuted. Please report any incidents of illegal drone use to your local Garda station.”