Face of dad charged in court with illegally flying drone near Dublin Airport

Ainis Guzauskas (41) is banned from using or operating a drone under bail conditions after he appeared in court charged over an alleged incident last summer.

Judge John Hughes adjourned the case for the directions of the DPP to be given.

Mr Guzauskas, of Ridgewood Close, Swords, Co Dublin is charged with one offence under Section 43 of the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1988.

He is accused of knowingly causing a false alarm by flying an unmanned aerial system (drone) into the critical area of Dublin Airport "which interfered with the operation of an aerodrome."

The offence is alleged to have happened at Naul Road on July 2, 2022.

Garda Paul Murphy told Judge Hughes he arrested the accused at Dublin Airport garda station at 2.57pm today for the purpose of charge.

He was charged at 4.08pm and made no reply after caution.

The accused was handed a copy of the charge sheet, the garda said. He had no objection to bail subject to conditions.

Asked how far Mr Guzauskas lived from the airport, the garda said it was 2km “as the crow flies” but further to drive. The judge also asked if the accused had any upcoming reason to be near the airport.

Defence solicitor Donal Quigley said his client would be flying from the airport for a holiday in July.

Judge Hughes granted bail in the accused’s own bond of €500, with no cash lodgement or surety required.

Under conditions, Mr Guzauskas is prohibited from owning or flying a drone at any time, for any reason anywhere within the state, and is not to take part in any way in the operation of a drone. He must not attend within 2km of Dublin Airport without the consent of the gardai.

He is to reside at the address on the charge sheet and notify gardai of any proposed change of address. Mr Guzauskas must submit a phone number at which he is contactable 24 hours per day.

He is also to surrender passport within 24 hours, undertake not to apply for any other travel documents and not leave the state without permission.

The judge granted free legal aid after hearing the accused was a separated father-of-two and worked for a removal company.

Gda Murphy said the DPP had given preliminary directions to charge Mr Guzauskas and sought an adjournment for an investigation file to be sent.

The case was adjourned to March 21. Mr Guzauskas has not yet indicated how he intends to plead to the charge.

The accused is the second person to appear before the court in recent weeks on a charge related to drone-flying near the airport.

Earlier this month, Eric Brills (50) of Holywell Dale, Swords, was charged with flying a drone in "a critical area" close to Dublin Airport, which was “likely to interfere with the safety of aircraft in flight.”

Mr Brills' charge was under Section 3 of the same Act and followed an incident on January 24 this year. That case, which has also been adjourned, was unrelated to Mr Guzauskas’s charge