A Canadian woman avoided a $500 distracted driving ticket after police dropped charges due to privacy concerns over drone surveillance.

A Kingston woman had a $500 distracted driving ticket withdrawn after police used a drone with zoom capabilities to monitor drivers during a summer 2025 enforcement blitz. The drone, authorized by Nav Canada for non-enforcement purposes like accident reconstruction, was used to identify phone use at intersections, leading to her stop after she photographed the drone. The Canadian Constitution Foundation challenged the surveillance as a violation of privacy under Section 8 of the Charter, arguing it amounted to an unreasonable search. Though police said the operation was lawful and resulted in 20 tickets, the Crown dropped the charges amid privacy concerns.