$300,000 drone aircraft crashes near Iowa City Airport

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A drone aircraft crashed in the area of a mobile home park in the southern part of Iowa City on Wednesday afternoon, according to law enforcement.

At around 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 18, 2019, Johnson County Sheriff's Office deputies were sent to a report of a crashed unmanned aerial vehicle on Bay Ridge Drive in Iowa City.

Upon arrival, deputies discovered a drone had caused some minimal damage to a lawn and decorations in that yard. The drone was a total loss.

The drone had a wingspan of 18 feet, weighed around 100 pounds, and was powered by a rear-propeller 100cc engine. It was being operated remotely from the Iowa City Municipal Airport when it apparently suffered a malfunction.

The Hills Fire Department assisted in the emergency response.

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration were notified by law enforcement of the incident. Due to the size of the drone, the FAA will not be involved in the investigation.