Y’stone drone pilot charged after crash

Federal authorities filed charges this week against a German man who Yellowstone National Park rangers believe crashed a drone into Grant Village Marina in July. Andreas Meissner, of Koenigswinter, Germany, faces four federal charges after a Yellowstone investigation uncovered proof that Meissner flew a drone in the park, filmed without a permit, left his property unattended in the park and gave a false report to park authorities. Meissner was filming as part of a documentary about a charity cycling tour when his drone’s battery died flying over the marina area of Yellowstone Lake. Rangers recovered the drone July 30 and filed charges against Meissner in federal magistrate court Aug. 27. Rangers say video files found on a GoPro camera mounted to the Phantom 2 show Meissner flew it within park boundaries at least three times, once in the Midway Geyser Basin area and twice along Grant Village Road...more