Sends Draft Back For Additional Work Following Tuesday Meeting

The Breckenridge, CO town council considered a drone ordinance at it regular meeting last Tuesday night, but after hearing from several commercial drone operators during the meeting, the council decided that the ordinance needs more work before a vote is taken.

The Summit Daily newspaper reports that town attorney Tim Berry told the council that it was obvious that the proposed ordinance needs more work. He said the city needs to get more input from the public before a final ordinance is submitted for approval.

The ordinance was brought forth after several reported incidents, one involving Councilwoman Elisabeth Lawrence, who was on the town's golf course when she encountered a drone. There are also reports that a drone forced a delay in fighting the Peak 2 fire earlier this summer. Drones endanger people, disturb wildlife and are used by voyeurs, according to those pushing the ordinance.

Five commercial drone operators spoke during the meeting last Tuesday. Their message was that the FAA has jurisdiction over the regulation of drones.

Berry said that any drone ordinance that is passed by the town must be consistent with FAA regulations or face possible legal challenges. The the town also needs the flexibility to update its local law as the FAA's rules change.

While most of the drone operators said that the town should stand down and let the FAA's rules prevail. However, one, Vic Moss, a commercial drone pilot who has also served as an expert witness in several drone cases nationwide, said that the FAA is unable to enforce its rules due to a lack of manpower. He advocated a local ordinance that allows the town to enforce the federal law at the local level, which he said would help the FAA.

He did say that the local ordinance as it was originally written was more restrictive than the FAA rules, and agreed that several changes should be made to the proposal.

No date has been set for the town council to again consider the local ordinance.

(Image from file)

FMI: Original Report