Fowlerville Will Charge $50 For Flying UAVs Over Special Events

Photographers wishing to use a UAV to capture special events in Fowlerville, MI will need a special $50 permit to do so.

The Fowlerville Village Council voted Monday night to require the permits, the fee for which will include $10 for a background check, according to Village Clerk Kathryn Arledge.

Radio station WHMI reports that the person applying for the permit must carry a $1 million insurance policy. Council President Wayne Copeland said that is a safety measure. He said that the village established the permit process so that officials can be sure the person operating the aircraft have insurance.

Copeland admitted that there have not been any incidents involving UAVs in the community, but there was one instance in which a radio controlled airplane flew into an area restricted by Homeland Security.

Permits will not be required for hobbyists flying their aircraft over their own property, but anyone operating a UAV in public spaces will need one. Those violating the permit rules can be ticketed by local authorities, according to the report.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.fowlerville.org