HobbyKing sells radio controlled model aircraft, drones, cars, etc... They screwed up, they were warned, they ignored the warnings and are now paying a price. From the Amateur Radio Relay League:
FCC Fines HobbyKing Nearly $3 Million for Marketing Unauthorized Drone Transmitters
The FCC has issued a Forfeiture Order (FO) calling for HobbyKing to pay a fine of $2,861,128 for marketing drone transmitters that do not comply with FCC rules. An FCC Enforcement Bureau investigation stemmed in part from a 2017 ARRL complaint that HobbyKing was selling drone transmitters that operated on amateur and non-amateur frequencies, in some instances marketing them as amateur radio equipment. The fine affirms the monetary penalty sought in a June 2018 FCC Notice of Apparent Liability (NAL). The FCC said its investigation found that dozens of devices marketed by the company transmitted in unauthorized radio frequency bands and, in some cases, operated at excessive power levels. “Such unlawful transmissions could interfere with key government and public safety services, like aviation systems,” the FCC said. “We have fully considered HobbyKing’s response to the NAL, which does not contest any facts and includes only a variety of legal arguments, none of which we find persuasive,” the FCC said in the FO. “We therefore adopt the $2,861,128 forfeiture penalty proposed in the NAL.”
A matter of radio interference.
The HobbyKing transmitters were operating on frequencies used by other services.
What other services you might ask?
Aeronautical Navigation, GPS satellites, GLONASS navigation satellites, ATC-S navigation transmitters and Air Traffic Control.
I do not think that you would want to interfere with these services. The idea that someone would design, build and market a device (actually, over 70 different devices) that would interfere with these services is unreal. Downright stupid. They were notified of this. They stonewalled. They kept selling devices (and bringing new models to market) that interfered with these services. Transmitting with higher power than allowed is icing on the cake. A "hobby" device like this is allowed one watt. They were using up to three watts.
This is a Hong Kong company - wonder if the jamming (and excessive power) is intentional. Something built in that can be turned on remotely. China is not our friend.
The full FCC Ruling is here: FORFEITURE ORDER
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