Investigators are trying to track down the owner of the drone that crashed through a Manhattan apartment window over the weekend.
They're using the serial numbers on the drone, though it's not clear if the drone is registered as it should be by law. Either way, whoever operated it was breaking the law, authorities say.
Some versions of the particular drone that crashed through the 27th-floor apartment at 20 Waterside Plaza in Kips Bay were part of a nationwide recall. There were complaints about the GoPro Karma going out of control and crashing to the ground.
Police are looking into whether the craft, a 1-foot by 1-foot drone with 10-inch propellers and a camera, was part of that recall.
It landed just feet from the 66-year-old woman who lives in the apartment when it crashed through Saturday afternoon. She declined to speak to NBC 4 New York Monday.
Neighbor Iris Lim, who's a surgeon and a mother of a 1-year-old, was disturbed.
"It's a little disconcerting to think you could be in your apartment and in comes a drone out of nowhere," she said.
George Wimbly, who runs a professional aerial photography that uses drones, says it's key for operators to follow the rules, especially the new ones that ban drone operation in much of New York City save for a few parks in the outer boroughs.
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"Right now, no one can really fly drones in New York City. It's Class-B airspace. You've got heliports over here, you're within a five-mile radius of local airports," he said, pointing out the proximity of the East River helipads.
Though the NYPD doesn't keep specific records on drone incidents, the FAA reports an uptick near local airports in recent years. Last February, a drone crashed into the Empire State Building, and though no one was hurt, the owner was charged with reckless endangerment and criminal mischief.
