Man Searching For Drone That Went Missing In White Plains

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- There's a search for answers after a drone vanished from sight in mid-air over White Plains.

As CBS 2's Lou Young reported, Kevin Salaveria is searching for his best friend, but it's not a cat or dog; it's a drone.

"It was like my baby. I was taking care of this. I was going out with this every day, flying all the time; keeping me out of trouble," Salaveria said. "Nice little hobby. Got some shots from the sky; view-point you would never see normally. Now, it's gone. I don't know what to do."

The 28-year-old photographer last saw the remote-controlled quad-copter on Sunday afternoon near downtown White Plains when it simply flew away, Young reported.

Radio interference is suspected, but it felt like a betrayal, Salaveria said.

"You'd think a robot would listen to the commands. It was like it had a mind of its own. It was like it was rebelling against me, I don't know," he said.

Putting up posters to find a lost aircraft may seem like a fool's errand, but Salaveria said he last saw the drone over Mamaroneck Avenue where it meets Old Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains.

Between the aircraft and the camera, Salaveria figures there's about $1,000 in the wind.

Locals said they haven't seen it.

"(You didn't see anything, huh?) No sir, no sir," said one neighbor.

"No I haven't seen a missing drone," said another.

The FAA has banned drone operations above 400 feet, and for all commercial use. They are generally legal to own and operate if they are kept within line of sight of the operator at all times.

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