(Washington) -- There are new security concerns in Washington, DC after a small gyrocopter landed on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol. After arresting the pilot, Capitol Police dispatched a robotic device to check the gyrocopter for explosives.
A gyrocopter is an ultralite, one-or-two person aircraft which looks like a tiny helicopter. The incident prompted a lockdown at the Capitol.
The pilot was Doug Hughes, a Florida mailman who is protesting campaign financing and government corruption. Hughes wrote what he intended to do on a website, vowing to deliver 535 letters to members of Congress by "air mail."
Airspace in Washington, DC has been severely restricted since the 9-11 terrorist attacks. The gyrocopter incident is the second security breach at the Capitol in recent days. A man shot and killed himself outside the Capitol on Saturday.