Drone expansion - Toronto Police Training Constable Doug Elo, Thunder Bay Police Primary Response Inspector Joe Dampier, TBPS Constable Tom Armstrong - (CJ Goater/Acadia Broadcasting)

A Thunder Bay resident is facing charges after launching a firework at a police drone.

On Sunday, officers were using a drone to look for a missing person.

During the operation, a resident living in the area spoke to an officer on the ground, expressing concerns about the drone.

Officers informed the resident that it was a police-operated drone involved in an ongoing investigation.

Despite the update, the individual proceeded to set up, ignite, and launch a firework directly at the drone.

The drone operator was able to take evasive action, avoiding damage and preventing a potentially dangerous crash over a residential area.

The individual was identified and arrested.

A 54-year-old from Thunder Bay has been charged with obstructing police and damage to aircraft.

The accused was released with a future court date.

Drones are classified as aircraft under Canadian law.

“While some residents may feel uncomfortable with drones operating near their homes, there are no legal restrictions preventing drones from flying over private property,” said city police in a media release. “When conducting exigent operational missions, such as missing person or suspect searches, drones may traverse residential areas.”

“The Thunder Bay Police Service makes every reasonable effort to respect personal privacy, and in many cases, the drone is observing areas from a distance rather than directly beneath it. There is no circumstance in which attempting to interfere with a police drone is acceptable.”

Drones are a tool in modern policing and are regularly deployed in a range of operations, like missing persons searches.