Politics

Chinese-born man takes plea deal after using drone to take 200 photos of Space Force station

Published

5 months ago

July 8, 2025

A Chinese-born Canadian citizen said he was flying his drone in January to photograph sunrises and nature on the coast. But according to new court documents, Xiao Guang Pan took more than 250 videos and photos of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS).

Federal authorities found footage that captured a submarine wharf, munitions bunkers, a payload processing facility, security checkpoints and more.

Pan is now pleading guilty to three counts of using an aircraft for the unlawful photographing of a defense installation without authorization, according to his plea agreement filed last month in U.S. District Court that releases new details in the federal case.

Each count carries a maximum sentence of one year of prison and a $100,000 fine, according to federal court records.

His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 1 in Orlando.

The 71-year-old, who was born in China, had been visiting the United States on a tourist visa.

Pan was out on the coast shooting pictures with his drone from a parking lot at Port Canaveral when he captured the attention of authorities.

The military facility used for U.S. Department of Defense and defense contractors’ space launches is also home to U.S. Navy submarine wharfs operated by the Naval Ordnance Test Unit, according to federal court records.

Federal authorities searched Pan’s footage and determined that he had flown his DJI Mavic Pro 3 nine times and taken nearly 2,000 photos and videos between Jan. 5 and 7.

“Of those photos and videos, 243 photographs and 13 videos showed military infrastructure at Canaveral Space Force Station,” his plea agreement said.

For instance, according to court records, Pan took two videos and 21 photos Jan. 5 of the military installation from several miles away using a telephoto lens. Some of the photos “depicted a Space Launch Complex and payload processing facilities operated by two defense contractors,” his plea agreement said.

The following day, Pan moved several miles closer and continued documenting the space force station, taking nine more videos and 166 photographs, according to court documents.

“These photographs and videos captured the same military infrastructure as on January 5 in higher quality and from different angles,” his plea agreement said.

By Jan. 7, the day he was caught by law enforcement, he had launched his drone “from Class D controlled airspace, just outside the CCSFS restricted airspace border, without receiving FAA approval,” the plea agreement said.

“During this flight, Pan captured images and videos of roads, power distribution infrastructure, security checkpoints, mission control infrastructure, national security space launch infrastructure, fuel and munitions storage, and naval infrastructure within CCSFS.”

Pan denied seeing any launch pads and said he did not know he was near a military facility. He also argued his drone hadn’t sent him warnings or alerts when he was flying it.

But the evidence proved otherwise, according to court records.

Investigators found screenshots on Pan’s cellphone of Google Maps satellite images of Cape Canaveral from where his drone took off. The screenshots prominently displayed the words “Cape Canaveral Space Force Station,” the plea agreement said.

Recovering the drone’s flight data also proved that Pan had indeed received messages and alerts about the airspace violations, the plea agreement said.

The new court records also raise questions about the complexity of the case.

“The above is merely a summary of some of the events, some of the persons involved, and other information relating to this case. It does not include, nor is it intended to include, all the events, persons involved, or other information relating to this case,” the plea agreement said.

Federal prosecutors did not respond to a request for comment on whether more people are going to be charged.

After the criminal charges were filed, Pan was released because he asked the courts for permission to travel back home to Ontario for medical treatment. Pan has coronary artery disease and a history of diabetes and other medical issues, according to a court filing.

Pan’s Instagram account describes him as a “licensed drone pilot” and shows aerial pictures of lakes, nature and urban areas.

Pan’s defense attorney and prosecutors from Middle District of Florida did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the plea deal Tuesday.

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Politics

Ron DeSantis says GOP must go on offense ahead of Midterms to bring back ‘complacent’ voters

Published

27 minutes ago

December 5, 2025

May Greene

Gov. Ron DeSantis is continuing to warn Republicans that next year’s Midterm contests may not go their way if the party doesn’t change course.

He recommends that Republicans make a strong case for what they will do if they somehow retain control of Congress next year, given that “in an off-year Midterm, the party in power’s voters tend to be more complacent.”

But DeSantis, who himself served nearly three terms in Congress before resigning to focus on his campaign for Governor in 2018, says House Republicans haven’t accomplished much, and they need to be proactive in the time that’s left.

“I just think you’ve got to be bold. I think you’ve got to be strong. And I think one of the frustrations with the Congress is, what have they done since August till now? They really haven’t done anything, right?” DeSantis explained on “Fox & Friends.”

“I’d be like, every day, coming out with something new and make the Democrats go on the record, show the contrast.”

The Governor said the economy and immigration are two issues that would resonate with voters.

On immigration, DeSantis believes his party should remind voters that President Donald Trump stopped the “influx” of illegal border crossers given passage when Joe Biden was in power.

After providing contrast to some of his policy wins through the end of 2023 in Florida, DeSantis suggested that the GOP needs to blame the opposition party regarding continued economic struggles.

“Democrats, they caused a lot of this with the inflation and now they’re acting like … they had nothing to do with it,” he said.

DeSantis’ latest comments come after Tuesday’s narrow GOP victory in deep-red Tennessee, in yet another election where a candidate for Congress underperformed President Donald Trump.

Republican Matt Van Epps defeated Democrat Aftyn Behn by roughly 9 points in the Nashville area seat. That’s less than half the margin by which Trump bested Kamala Harris in 2024. This is after U.S. Reps. Randy Fine and Jimmy Patronis won by smaller margins than expected in Special Elections in Florida earlier this year.

Though partisan maps protect the GOP in many cases, with just a seven-vote advantage over Democrats in Congress there is scant room for error.

Bettors seem to believe the House will flip, with Democratic odds of victory at 78% on Polymarket on Friday morning.

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Politics

Ron DeSantis again downplays interest in a second presidential run

Published

58 minutes ago

December 5, 2025

May Greene

The question won’t go away.

Gov. Ron DeSantis may be out of state, just like he was when he ran for President in 2024, but that doesn’t mean he’s eyeing another run for the White House.

“I’ve got my hands full, man. I’m good,” he told Stuart Varney during an in-studio interview Friday in New York City, responding to a question about his intentions.

DeSantis added that it was “not the first time” he got that question, which persists amid expectations of a crowded field of candidates to succeed President Donald Trump.

“I’m not thinking about anything because I think we have a President now who’s not even been in for a year. We’ve got a lot that we’ve got to accomplish,” the term-limited Governor told Jake Tapper last month when asked about 2028.

It may be for the best that DeSantis isn’t actively running, given some recent polls.

DeSantis, who ran in 2024 before withdrawing after failing to win a single county in the Iowa caucuses, has just 2% support in the latest survey from Emerson College.

Recent polling from the University of New Hampshire says he’ll struggle again in what is historically the first-in-the-nation Primary state. The “Granite State Poll,” his worst showing in any state poll so far, shows the Florida Governor with 3% support overall.

In January 2024, DeSantis had different messaging after leaving the GOP Primary race.

“When I was in Iowa, a lot of these folks that stuck with the President were very supportive of what I’ve done in Florida. They thought I was a good candidate,” DeSantis said. “I even had people say they think that I would even do better as President, but they felt that they owed Trump another shot. And so I think we really made a strong impression.”

But that was then, this is now.

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Politics

First place at stake for Jaguars vs. Colts

Published

1 hour ago

December 5, 2025

May Greene

How big is Sunday’s game for the Jaguars?

According to The Athletic, the Jaguars have an 83% chance of making the playoffs entering the weekend. That’s a pretty good bet. At 8-4, the Jaguars are currently in the third spot in the AFC.

However, Jacksonville stands a 42% chance of winning the division, slightly better than Sunday’s opponent, the Indianapolis Colts (8-4), who sit at 34% to win the AFC South.

With both games against the Colts still on the schedule and matchups with the struggling New York Jets, a trip to Denver to face the surging Broncos, and the season finale at home against the Tennessee Titans, the Jaguars need only to win the games they should win to make the playoffs.

Leaving the Colts games aside for the moment, if the Jaguars simply beat the Jets and Titans, they would have 10 wins. That is almost certainly enough to earn a postseason spot.

So, in a way, Sunday’s game against the Colts isn’t make-or-break. However, if the Jaguars want to win the division and host a playoff game, at least one win over the Colts is essential. Should the Jaguars win Sunday, they would hold a 1-game advantage over the Colts and, for the time being, hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Indianapolis.

By one metric, the Jaguars can increase their playoff odds to 95% with a victory on Sunday. Even with a loss, they are a good bet to make the playoffs as a wild-card team. But the chance to start the postseason with a home game is a powerful advantage, one that division winners enjoy.

Health will be a major factor in Sunday’s game. The Jaguars hope to have wide receiver/kick returner Parker Washington and defensive end Travon Walker back in the lineup. Both missed some or all of last week’s game but practiced in a limited basis this week. Starting left tackle Walker Little and safety Andrew Wingard remained in the concussion protocol this week. Starting right guard Patrik Mekari returned from concussion protocol on Wednesday.

The Colts are also dealing with injuries. Cornerback Sauce Gardner did not practice this week, while quarterback Daniel Jones continues to play with a fracture in his leg.

The key matchup could be strength vs. strength. Indianapolis running back Jonathan Taylor leads the NFL in rushing with 1,282 yards, while the Jaguars are the league’s top rush defense, allowing opponents only 82.4 yards per contest. No running back has run for more than 90 yards against the Jaguars this season, and only one, Houston’s Woody Marks, has rushed for more than 70 yards in a game. Taylor averages nearly 107 yards per game this season.

The Jaguars last made the playoffs in 2022 in Doug Pederson’s first season as head coach. Liam Coen is trying to replicate the feat.

Interestingly, the game is one of three in the NFL this weekend with first place on the line.

The Baltimore Ravens host the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday. Both teams are 6-6, and the winner will lead the AFC North. The Chicago Bears (9-3) also travel to Green Bay to face the Packers (8-3-1), with the winner taking the top spot in the NFC North.

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