When Cherry Hills Village became one of Colorado’s first cities to enact an , Mayor Laura Christman called it a public safety issue.
Residents told her, “‘No, we do not need a drone law because we will just shoot them down.’ Just so you know, in Cherry Hills, it’s illegal to shoot a gun outside,” Christman said during a panel Wednesday at the . “That is a public safety issue for us in the community. They’re not allowed to shoot it down, regardless. … But we want people to know that they can call the police.”
More states, cities and towns are adopting rules to manage the growing number of unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS.But conflicting rules can cause havoc on the future of commercial drones, especially in Colorado where a group of aviation professionals received Federal Aviation Administration approval to into a commercial drone-testing site.
Regulations seem inevitable so some in the drone community are pushing for users to be more proactive in shaping their own future.
“We’re responsible for the safety of the NAS (National Airspace System) just as much as everyone else is. We are and I am pro-legislation,” said Vic Moss, owner of Moss Photography, who sat on the panel. “But it has to be the right legislation and it has to be done at the state levels.”
All Colorado drone users — including hobbyists — must , which don’t allow drones within 5 miles of an airport nor flying over crowds of people or moving vehicles. Some exemptions are allowed.
According to research by the National Conference of State Legislatures, regarding drone flight, with another four adopting resolutions. In Colorado, there are no state laws regulating drone use. , the House Appropriations Committee passed within fire and public safety departments. The bill now goes to the full House. Four earlier bills that failed to win support had touched on privacy, government and non-government use, and flying near airports and detention centers.
“I believe there is a general consensus within the small unmanned aircraft industry, especially among users of small UAS for commercial purposes, that sensible regulations are necessary for the growth of the industry. Regulations that promote the safe operation of small unmanned aircraft by all types of users will also help build public confidence in the technology and the industry,” said Thomas J. Dougherty, a Denver attorney at Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie who leads the firm’s UAS team.
Moss said he welcomes state legislation if only to clarify what’s allowed throughout a region. Allowing cities to pass their own, potentially conflicting laws, could wreak havoc on businesses like his because he travels across the country to do aerial photography shoots.
Some laws hurt more than others. He pointed to a new drone law in Hempstead, N.Y., that not only forbids flying drones over public facilities but the law if you possess a drone.
“Guilty by ,” Moss said. “You’ll get a $500 ticket that mandates you go before a judge. Welcome to Hempstead, N.Y.”
Moss encouraged attendees to join , which has users working with manufacturers to promote “responsible drone regulations.”
“We need to help local and state legislators craft legislation that doesn’t put us out of business,” Moss said.
