Can you be charged for flying a drone drunk? What recent case from Sweden reveals

Can drink-driving a drone get you in trouble?

It seems possible - at least in Sweden.

A man has been fined after being convicted of operating a drone while intoxicated.

This is believed to be the first case in the country where a drone operator has been prosecuted and found guilty of being drunk.

What happened in this case? How much fine will the person pay?

A 55-year-old man was convicted in July for operating a drone under the influence at a classic car event in Rattvik, a town in Dalarna, central Sweden. The event was held in a temporary no-fly zone.

According to a report by The Guardian, police spotted the drone while using their own device to monitor the gathering.

Upon tracing its location, they found a man who later admitted to flying it. Tests showed his blood alcohol level was 0.69 parts per 1,000.

Swedish law sets the legal limit at 0.2 parts per 1,000, with 1.0 considered a serious violation. The country’s drink-driving laws are among the strictest in Europe.

By comparison, the UK’s limit is 0.8, while Spain, France, and Belgium set it at 0.5. Romania and Hungary enforce a zero-tolerance policy.

The man later retracted his statement, claiming he was not flying the drone and blamed a friend who was not present when police arrived.

This is believed to be the first case in Sweden where someone has been prosecuted and convicted for flying a drone while intoxicated.

Speaking to broadcaster SVT, prosecutor Jenny Holden Nystrom said, “I have not seen a case like this before.”

“I am satisfied with the verdict.”

District court president Karin Hellmont said that the case was treated similarly to drink-driving offences.

“It is an aircraft. Even though it is flown by itself, it is controlled by someone down on the ground and can fall from a high height and injure someone,” she said.

The man was ordered to pay a fine of 32,000 SEK (£2,341), split into daily instalments of 400 SEK (£29) over 80 days, The Guardian reported.

When Japan banned ‘drunk-driving drones’ in 2019

Operating a drone while intoxicated in Japan can lead to a prison sentence of up to one year, following the acceptance of a law in 2019 that aimed at controlling the increasing use of unmanned aerial vehicles.

Under the law, flying a drone weighing more than 200 grams (seven ounces) while drunk could also result in a fine of up to 300,000 yen ($2,750).

The lower house of parliament approved the measure after a series of accidents involving drones.

Also, performing dangerous manoeuvres, such as steep dives, can lead to fines of up to 500,000 yen.

“We believe operating drones after consuming alcohol is as serious as (drink) driving,” a transport ministry official told AFP.

The regulations were introduced in response to the growing popularity of drones and a rise in related incidents. Japan has also faced challenges with tourists flying drones in crowded destinations like Kyoto.

Did you know that drones are also delivering alcohol in some regions?

Drones have the potential to bypass traffic congestion, lower costs by eliminating the need for a driver, and offer quick access to alcohol with just a click.

According to the Institute of Alcohol Studies, drone trials for food deliveries are already underway in places like the United States and Australia.

Research in Australia indicates that many consumers support drone alcohol delivery services, with a significant minority planning to use them once available.

Less than half (46%) of surveyed adults supported banning alcohol delivery via drone, while 36% said they intended to use drones and other autonomous vehicles to buy alcohol regularly, the Institute of Alcohol Studies said in an article.

Experts have raised concerns about the possible effects of drone-delivered alcohol, with survey results suggesting that overall alcohol consumption could rise.

About half (47%) of respondents believed that alcohol intake would increase once such services become widely available, the report said.