Roger B. Handberg, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida
A Canadian citizen, Xiao Guang Pan, aged 71, has been charged with three counts of using an unmanned aircraft to photograph vital defense installations and equipment without authorization. The charges were announced by United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg in Orlando, Florida. If found guilty, Pan could face a maximum penalty of one year in federal prison for each count.
The criminal information indicates that Pan used the drone to capture images at Cape Canaveral Space Force Base on three different days in January 2025. The photographs included images of space launch complexes, a payload processing facility, a submarine wharf, and munitions bunkers. Federal law prohibits taking unauthorized photographs of such critical defense installations or equipment.
An information is a formal charge indicating that a defendant may have violated federal criminal law; however, it is important to note that every defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The investigation into this case is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Additional support has been provided by several agencies including the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Air Marshals Service, NASA Office of Inspector General, and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan is prosecuting the case.
