Newly released reports from the Federal Aviation Administration revealed that the Secret Service was put on alert after a drone was spotted flying near President Obama while he was playing golf in Florida.
On March 29, the Secret Service called the FAA to report that the U.S. Coast Guard had spotted the drone flying “in the vicinity of POTUS,” according to the FAA’s report released Friday.
Mr. Obama had spent that weekend playing golf at the members-only Floridian National Golf Club in Palm City, the Palm Beach Post reported.
A spokesman for the Coast Guard in Miami told the Palm Beach Post that he had no further information about the incident, and the Secret Service did not respond to a request for comment.
The new report is the third incident this year involving a drone in the vicinity of the president. Drones have crashed on the White House lawn in two separate incidents this year.
Local drone incidents in Florida are on the rise, happening about once a month, according to the new FAA reports.
FAA restrictions prohibit drones from flying near places like the White House or airports, and at altitudes over 400 feet, but those rules are increasingly being broken.
Earlier this month, pilots reported three drone sightings in as many days at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, prompting the Department of Homeland Security to issue a warning reminding law enforcement to be on alert for drones that could be used by terrorists to take down planes.
Experts warn that drones could cause a major catastrophe by crashing into planes during takeoff or landing.
• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
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