Government employee piloted drone that crashed at White House

David Jackson and Bart Jansen | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Device found at White House holds no 'ongoing threat' A device found on the grounds of the White House was not a threat to anyone inside, according to officials at a 3 a.m. press briefing. President Obama and his wife Michelle were in India at the time. Some reports identify the device as a drone.

WASHINGTON — A government employee told the Secret Service that he lost control of a small drone before it crashed on the grounds of the White House shortly after 3 a.m. on Monday, officials said.

The man, not identified by the government, has been "been fully cooperative" and "initial indications are that this incident occurred as a result of recreational use of the device," the Secret Service said in a written statement.

The pre-dawn incident triggered an early morning lockdown of the White House perimeter and revived concern about the security of the presidential mansion.

The Secret Service said "an individual called the Secret Service this morning at approximately 9:30 a.m. to self-report that they had been in control of the quad copter device that crashed on the White House grounds early this morning."

Investigators believe the man was flying the drone — a 2-foot "quad copter," weighing only a few pounds — for recreational purposes, but may refer the matter to the U.S. Attorney's Office, said a government official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the matter is still under investigation.

The drone did not have a camera on it, officials said.

The service said "this investigation continues as the Secret Service conducts corroborative interviews, forensic examinations and reviews all other investigative leads."

The man is a government official, but does not work at the White House, said a third official briefed on the incident. Officials did not address why someone might be out at 3 a.m. operating a drone in Washington.

The president and first lady Michelle Obama were in India when the incident happened in the early hours of Monday morning, and officials said no one at the White House were in danger.

Earlier Monday, the Secret Service reported it had recovered parts of the "quad copter" drone on the White House grounds.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest, speaking with reporters in India, said that "the early indications are" that the device "does not pose any sort of ongoing threat to anybody at the White House."

Soon to be the subject of new federal regulations, drones are also a source of concern for law enforcement throughout the nation, including at the White House.

The Secret Service said that at 3:08 a.m. Monday one of its officers "heard and observed a 'quad copter' device, approximately two feet in diameter, flying at a very low altitude and ultimately crashing on the southeast side of the complex."

A part of the unmanned aircraft, called a "quad" because it is lifted by four propellers, landed in a tree in the southeast corner of the White House grounds, said another government official who also spoke on condition of anonymity because it remains an ongoing probe.

Security officers could be seen on the South Grounds at the White House, searching for parts of the device.

"There was an immediate alert and lockdown of the complex until the device was examined and cleared," the Secret Service said. Officials closed off the perimeter around the White House in the early hours of Monday morning with police and emergency vehicles, many of them clustered around the southeast corner of the grounds.

Small quad copters sell commercially for a few hundred dollars or less.

This is the latest in a string of security breaches involving the White House, including the September incident in which an intruder jumped the fence and made his way inside the executive mansion.

It is illegal to fly anything in the restricted air space above and around the White House.

The breach occurred as the Federal Aviation Administration develops long-awaited rules for commercial unmanned aircraft.

Congress ordered FAA in 2012 to develop the rules for commercial drones, which can range from a few ounces to as big as an airliner. Lawmakers called for passenger planes and drones to share the sky by September, but watchdogs say the FAA is unlikely to meet that deadline.

There have been similar drone incidents in Washington, D.C. The Federal Aviation Administration prohibits aircraft over congressional buildings and the National Mall as well as the White House, citing security and other reasons associated with the national welfare.

Ronald Kessler, author of The First Family Detail: Secret Service Agents Reveal the Hidden Lives of the Presidents, said his research indicates that "the Secret Service has been aware of this (drone) issue" for some time, and have been trying to "develop counter-measures." They include electromagnetic waves and other methods to disrupt radio commands to drones.

Kessler said it's possible that the service has the ability to shoot down drones.

The FAA has released reports of nearly 200 drones reported near other aircraft or restricted buildings between February and November. The incidents included:

• A July 7 report that U.S. Park Service police were questioning a person after a quad-copter drone was flown near the Lincoln Memorial.

• A July 8 report that the pilot of a Piper P28A flying at 2,200 feet in the air saw a small, white drone plane pass 400 to 500 below him southbound toward Reagan National Airport.

• An Aug. 29 report that U.S. Capitol Police questioned a person operating a drone within the U.S. Capitol grounds.

• An Oct. 6 report that a white drone with red-and-blue lights flew 150 feet above FedEx Field, where Maryland's Prince George's County police questioned the pilots.

Brendan Schulman, an attorney in New York City who specializes in commercial drone law, said most drones are in "the consumer device category" and weigh no more than three pounds.

They are often used for photography, he said.

Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., said the White House drone incident proves that the "the eagle has crash-landed in Washington," and new FAA guidelines are needed as soon as possible.

"Drones are an important new technology that will boost businesses, aid in storm preparedness and recovery, assist agricultural development and more," Schumer said. "But rules to protect the safety and privacy of the American people must keep pace."