Drone Photos of Classified U.S. Military Site Lead to Charges Against Brampton Man
A 71-year-old man from Brampton, Ontario, has been charged in Florida for allegedly using a drone to take unauthorized photographs of classified U.S. military installations at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Xiao Guang Pan faces three counts of using an unmanned aircraft to capture images of sensitive and vital military facilities and equipment without prior authorization from the base commander, according to a criminal complaint filed in Orlando.
Pan, a retired technician and avid drone photographer, is accused of taking three aerial photos on January 5, 6, and 7, 2025, depicting classified launch complexes and military equipment operated by U.S. defence contractors. The FBI and Homeland Security have seized the images as part of their investigation. Pan, who entered the U.S. on a tourist visa, is not currently detained and is scheduled to appear in court early next week.
The charges stem from a multi-agency investigation involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. If convicted, Pan could face up to one year in federal prison for each count.
Pan, who immigrated to Canada from China in 2001, has been a resident of Brampton since 2003. According to a biography on the Brampton Arts Organization (BAO) website, Pan retired from Best Buy Canada in 2022 after 18 years of service and has been an enthusiastic drone photographer since 2019. His work was featured as part of Brampton’s 50th-anniversary celebrations last year, with one of his drone photos displayed on a large screen in the city’s downtown.
Gardenia Flores, a spokeswoman for the BAO, expressed surprise at Pan’s arrest, stating that the organization had no knowledge of the incident and had not been in contact with him since early 2024. “He had these great drone shots of the City of Brampton, and his artwork was featured alongside works from 49 other artists,” Flores said.
The case highlights growing concerns in the U.S. about unauthorized drone flights near sensitive military installations. At a recent Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Norad chief Gen. Gregory Guillot revealed that there were 350 reported drone detections near military facilities in the past year, underscoring the potential security risks posed by such activities.
Pan’s arrest comes amid heightened scrutiny of foreign surveillance and espionage threats. U.S. authorities have emphasized that photographing classified military installations without prior approval is a federal offense, regardless of the photographer’s intent. The evidence against Pan has not yet been tested in court, and he has not publicly commented on the charges.