The White House is currently on lockdown after a man was detained for attempting to pilot a drone in the area.
Citing eyewitnesses, CNN reports that the Secret Service put a man into custody for attempting to fly his drone. The incident is still under investigation while law enforcement officials have defended upon the White House.
President Obama is not at the White House today, since he is attending a summit with Persian Gulf leaders about the efforts to reach a nuclear deal with Iran. The summit is being held at Camp David.
When asked about the incident during the White House press briefing, Press Secretary Josh Earnest indicated that he had received news of the lockdown, but referred reporters to the Secret Service for details.
It is illegal to pilot a drone in Washington D.C. without special approval.
Yesterday, the Federal Aviation Administration launched a public awareness campaign to highlight the laws banning drone use in Washington D.C.
“Anyone visiting the DC area should leave their drone at home,” said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. “We want to make sure everyone knows and understands the rules about flying in the National Capital Region.”
The campaign included new posters warning of a “No Drone Zone” in Washington D.C.
UPDATE: According to the Secret Service, officials spotted the drone flying in Lafayette Park at about 100 feet in the air before the pilot was detained. He was turned over to Park Police custody after the drone was inspected and found to be safe.
The Secret Service released a photo of the drone, posted below:
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