The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has reached a settlement with a Florida-based company for the illegal marketing and sale of radio frequency (RF) devices that caused interference with amateur radio operations.
According to an Order and Consent Decree issued by the Commission in mid-December 2017, the company Lumenier Holdco LLC (previously known as FPV Manuals LLC) advertised and sold through various websites non-compliant audio/visual transmitters intended for use with remotely piloted drone aircraft. The FCC findings were based on an investigation conducted by the Commission’s Enforcement Bureau in 2017, which revealed that some of the transmitters marketed by the company were capable of operating outside of authorized amateur radio service bands.
The ARRL reports that it filed an “extremely urgent complaint” with the FCC in January 2017 over what it identified as interference potential from certain audio/visual transmitters used on drones and marketed at amateur radio equipment. According to the ARRL, the transmitters were operating on “frequencies intended for navigational aids, air traffic control radar, air route surveillance radars, and global positioning systems.”
Under the terms of the Consent Decree, Lumenier will pay a civil penalty of $180,000 and also implement a regulatory compliance plan to help ensure future compliance with applicable FCC requirements. The company will also be required to file periodic compliance reports with the Commission for a period of three years.
Read the complete text of the FCC’s consent decree with Lumenier.
