A Pennsylvania man who used his drone to help hunters locate downed deer was convicted of breaking state laws. Joshua Wingenroth, 35, of Downingtown, plans to try to appeal the verdict he received in February by Lancaster County District Judge Raymond Sheller. The case “marked the first time anyone has been cited and tried in Pennsylvania for using a drone to recover a dead game animal,” according to Fox News.

Wingenroth openly advertised his drone tracking business in local publications, but was told by authorities last year such actions were illegal. Wingeroth, though, responded that his lawyer “has a different interpretation” of the law.

On Dec. 6, an undercover local game warden reached out to Wingenroth with a fabricated story that he needed assistance tracking a deer he shot in the Welsh Mountain Nature Preserve. Wingenroth met the warden there within an hour and had him sign a waiver stating he wanted to recover the deer carcass, but if the deer was found alive he would need to hunt another day. 

Wingenroth launched his drone and soon found a live deer in the area — because there was no actual shot deer — using thermal imaging, then used infrared to show it on a heat map. He also turned a spotlight on the deer using the drone. Wingenroth and the undercover officer were soon approached by another officer, and as part of the planned sting operation, Wingenroth’s drone was confiscated and he was cited for two counts of using illegal electronic devices during hunting and single counts of disturbing game or wildlife and violating regulations on recreational spotlighting.

Since hunting encompasses tracking, hunting and recovery according to Pennsylvania law, authorities said Wingenroth technically used the drone to “hunt” deer. He was convicted on all four counts and fined $1,500.

Wingenroth’s attorney, Michael Siddons, said they are going to try to appeal the verdict, arguing the state laws are “archaic” and have been changed to cover new technologies but do not yet address the use of drones. A Pennsylvania state senator also spoke out recently that laws should be changed to allow deer recovery with drones.