The postal carrier who flew a gyrocopter onto the lawn of the U.S. Capitol Wednesday is facing two criminal charges. But he's being released from federal custody to return to Florida.Â
Doug Hughes made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Washington Thursday.Â
He's charged with operating an unregistered aircraft and violating national airspace. Hughes said it was a political protest.
Meanwhile, the FAA, the air defense agency NORAD and others are reviewing what happened when the single-passenger helicopter was able to land on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol.Â
A spokesman for NORAD says the incident highlights a persistent vulnerability -- the inability to detect some slow, low-flying objects. He says the military has begun a three-year test of a radar blimp in the region. (AP)Â
