A small helicopter (L) is pictured in this still image taken from video after it landed on the west lawn of the US Capitol in Washington April 15, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

The US Federal Aviation Administration said it was investigating the incident. It said the pilot of the gyro copter was not authorized to enter restricted airspace.

In a bystander video, the copter is shown flying over the reflecting pool west of the Capitol and landing on the lawn.

Nora Neus, 21, of Tenafly, New Jersey, said that after the craft landed, police ordered the man in it not to move. She said he did not resist arrest.

"It seemed relatively intentional, he just kind of landed and sat there," said Neus, who was in Washington for a job interview.

Hughes took off on Wednesday morning from near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, about 65 miles (110 km) north of Washington, and headed for the Capitol, a Tampa Bay Times reporter told Reuters.

The incident came several days after a man shot himself to death in front of the Capitol on Saturday and sparked a temporary lockdown.

In January, a small "quadcopter" drone crashed onto the White House lawn. The man who was operating it did not face criminal charges.