A Chinese man has been arrested for allegedly flying a drone over Vandenberg Space Force Base, as the FBI investigates mysterious drones in New Jersey. Yinpiao Zhou, 39, a Chinese National now living in Brentwood, California, was charged with failure to register an aircraft not providing transportation and violation of national defense airspace.
![[Yinpiao Zhou, 39, of Brentwood, allegedly flew a small drone over the base on November 30, using it to photograph the base from an aerial viewpoint (STOCK)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/12/20/93095079-14187187-Yinpiao_Zhou_39_of_Brentwood_allegedly_flew_a_small_drone_over_t-a-16_1734037029132.jpg)
Zhou was arrested Monday at San Francisco International Airport prior to boarding a China-bound flight and made his initial appearance Tuesday in United States District Court in San Francisco. He is in federal custody pending prosecutors' appeal of a federal magistrate judge's decision to release him. No plea was taken and his arraignment is expected to be scheduled in US District Court in Los Angeles in the coming weeks.
![[Zhou's arrest comes amid unexplained drone sightings in New Jersey that have alarmed residents as well as federal and local officials]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/12/20/93043999-14187187-Zhou_s_arrest_comes_amid_unexplained_drone_sightings_in_New_Jers-a-15_1734037029126.jpg)
'This defendant allegedly flew a drone over a military base and took photos of the base's layout, which is against the law,' said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. 'The security of our nation is of paramount importance and my office will continue to promote the safety of our nation's military personnel and facilities.'.
![[The drone sightings first began in mid-November and have continued almost every night since, New Jersey residents have reported]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/12/20/92755413-14187187-The_drone_sightings_first_began_in_mid_November_and_have_continu-a-18_1734037029380.jpg)
Zhou's arrest comes amid unexplained drone sightings in New Jersey that have alarmed residents as well as federal and local officials. The FBI is investigating, but during a Wednesday briefing, a representative from the Department of Homeland Security said: 'We have no more information as to where these drones are coming from, where they're launching from, where they're landing.'.
![[These are not 'hobbyist' drones. They appear to be large, commercial-grade devices that are up to six feet in diameter and often avoid detection]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/12/20/93048443-14187187-The_FBI_has_received_more_than_3_000_drone_sightings_in_the_last-a-17_1734037029134.jpg)
