Chinese Maker of White House-Crash Drone to Block Flights Over DC

Drone that crashed at White House
(Image: nypost.com)

The drone (technically a "quad copter") that crashed at the White House recently has created some interesting ripples in legal and security circles.

For starters, a Chinese firm called DJI manufactured the offending drone. According to gizmodo.com, the company "will take steps" to prevent its drones from flying over the District of Columbia. Apparently, DJI drone flight paths can be controlled via a firmware modification.

Meanwhile, the drone's pilot worked for an American intelligence agency. The public version of the story was that he visited an apartment in the vicinity of the White House, had a few drinks, and then decided to launch the drone on its ill-fated flight. Uh-huh.

Fortunately, the president and the missus were shaking hands in India. However, the Obamas' two daughters were in DC at the time of the incident. For those inclined toward semiotic, Mafia-like messages from the dark side, the drone episode could be characterized as an unpleasant communication to the White House. A number of odd incidents have occurred during 44's presidency, such as a sudden change in 2011 presidential helicopter flight in Maryland, Air Force One having "mechanical issues," and the entry of an armed individual into the first floor of the White House. The drone story, considering its link to the nation's intelligence community, plausibly fits into this scenario. Let's hope there's nothing more to the incident than coincidence.