Would Allow Small UAVs To Be Flown In Most City Parks

The Raleigh, NC Parks Committee is looking at a revised drone policy that could allow small UAVs to be flown in almost all of the city's public parks.

The new policy approved by the Raleigh Parks Committee and moved on to the full Parks, Recreation and Greenway advisory board would allow any UAV weighing less than 400 grams to be flown in any city park that is not designated as a nature preserve, nature park, wetland center or lake. The Raleigh News Observer reports that larger drones would be limited to six parks, and could be flown only in large open spaces.

The first draft of the policy would have limited drone operations to seven parks, placed altitude restrictions on drone flights, and banned the use of cameras to capture still or video images of private property. That draft was revised after the public, including many in the drone community, weighed in. But while drone supporters turned out in fairly large numbers for a discussion of the first draft of the policy, there were only a few in the audience this time around. Committee chairman Patrick Buffkin said that he took that to mean that the drone community was accepting of the revised policy.

Jaren Brickman, Marketing Manager for the Raleigh-based drone business PrecisionHawk, said that the company is "very pleased where this has landed."

The final draft of the drone policy sets out the conditions under which drones may be launched. Drone racing is limited to aircraft weighing less than 1.7 pounds including propellers, and drone race courses may not use trees as obstacles. Violators would be asked to leave the park, or have their flying privileges revoked.

If approved, the parks department would begin enforcing the rules in the city's 100 parks immediately.

(Image from file)

FMI: Original report