Paris Stumped by Second Night of Drone Flybys

Officials to investigate footage of devices
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 25, 2015 10:22 AM CST
Paris Stumped by Second Night of Drone Flybys
The new Bebop Parrot drone flies by a Rome marble statue "August en Triomphateur" during a presentation in Paris, France, Friday, Nov. 7, 2014.   (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

The City of Lights is abuzz a second day over mysterious drones that flew over Paris landmarks again last night, the BBC reports. Five drones were spotted in a three-hour period last night at locations like a military museum, city gates, and Place de la Concorde. Authorities plan to review footage of the devices to learn more about them. "Is it a game? Scouting for future operations? The investigation will show us," a police chief tells AFP.

A BBC correspondent says the biggest direct danger from the drones would be a possible crash, which could hurt people on the street. Political or religious extremists might also be using the machines simply to find out how officials handle them. But the more likely explanation, according to the correspondent, is that recreational users are trying to prank officials. Recent months have also seen drones flown over nuclear plants, possibly by environmental activists, the BBC notes. In January, a drone soared over the presidential palace; the same month, drones appeared near a site in Brittany that holds nuclear submarines, AFP reports. (More Paris stories.)

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