Pilot reports of U.S. drone sightings soar in 2015, Federal Aviation Administration says

Pilot reports of unmanned aircraft in the United States have increased dramatically over the past year, from a total of 238 sightings in all of 2014, to more than 650 by Aug. 9 of this year, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Wednesday.

“The FAA wants to send out a clear message that operating drones around airplanes and helicopters is dangerous and illegal,” the FAA said in a press release. “Unauthorized operators may be subject to stiff fines and criminal charges, including possible jail time.”

Pilots of a variety of different types of aircraft – including many large, commercial air carriers – reported spotting 16 unmanned aircraft in June of 2014, and 36 the following month. This year, 138 pilots reported seeing drones at altitudes of up to 10,000 feet during the month of June, and another 137 in July.

Meanwhile, firefighters battling wildfire blazes in the western part of the U.S. have been forced to ground their operations on several occasions for safety reasons when they spotted one or more unmanned aircraft in their immediate vicinity.

Related: From wildfires to commercial flights, drones becoming a dangerous and growing nuisance

The FAA reported that it is working closely with the law enforcement community to identify and investigate unauthorized unmanned aircraft operations. “The FAA has levied civil penalties for a number of unauthorized flights in various parts of the country, and has dozens of open enforcement cases,” the release said.