WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a $289,215 civil penalty against Gorge Drones of Stevenson, Washington. This penalty stems from allegations of unauthorized unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operations.
The agency alleges that Gorge Drones operated a drone on 15 separate occasions to dispense fertilizer. These operations occurred without the required agricultural aircraft operator certificate. The alleged violations took place on various dates between March 2025 and April 2025.
In addition to the lack of an operator certificate, the FAA claims the drone involved in these operations was not registered with the agency. The agency also alleges that the aircraft did not possess a valid airworthiness certificate during the cited period.
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