A Canadian citizen, Xiao Guang Pan, aged 71 from Brampton, Ontario, has been deported from the United States after pleading guilty to illegally photographing classified U.S. defense installations at the Space Force military base in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The U.S. District Court in Florida sentenced Pan to 12 months of probation and ordered his immediate deportation under the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, citing violations of espionage laws.
Pan admitted to three counts of unauthorized photographing of military sites over three days in early January. The charges stemmed from an incident when NASA detected suspicious drone activity near the Space Force Base on January 7, prompting law enforcement intervention.
Pan, who entered the U.S. on a tourist visa via the Ambassador’s Bridge in Detroit in November 2024, was found operating a DJI Mavic Pro 3 drone and using a telephoto camera to capture images of restricted areas. Law enforcement officials seized his devices, which revealed numerous unauthorized photographs and videos of military infrastructure, contrary to Pan’s initial claim that he was merely capturing natural scenery and cruise ships.
The case has heightened concerns among U.S. lawmakers and the public regarding the potential use of drones for foreign surveillance. While authorities are uncertain about Pan’s current status in the deportation process, the Department of Justice continues to monitor similar security threats.
