Amateur pilots take flight

Amid the growing popularity of drones, a call for privacy, public safety regulations.|

On hand for the annual fireworks show at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds on July 4, Petaluma Fire Marshal Cary Fergus said he observed something new in the sky that night – drones.

The glowing lights from at least five of the remote-controlled devices could be seen hovering around the scene, ostensibly to capture dramatic footage of the pyrotechnics occurring high above the Petaluma skyline. Yet the high-flying cameras were nearing a restricted safety area, he said, coming close to delaying the annual show visible to thousands of people all over the city.

The show ultimately went on as planned after the flying gizmos buzzed away from the airspace above the closed-off zone. Yet the episode was an eye-opener for Petaluma public safety officials, prompting a call for public education on the safe use of the increasingly common devices.

'I'd hate to see, next year, 20 drones up, and have to cancel the show because there are too many drones,' said Petaluma Police Lt. Tim Lyons.

Recalling his position near the fireworks launching area, Lyons said he and Fire Marshall Fergus had initially made note of a couple of drones flying in the area that night. The devices drew their attention, but it was not an entirely unusual sight at a time when consumer drones are becoming more affordable and sophisticated.

'They weren't flying overhead where the fireworks were being launched. They were on the perimeter,' he said.

Yet as the show progressed, more of the devices became airborne, giving rise to an elevated sense of concern that an inadvertent collision between a drone and a firework could endanger the crowds below, Lyons said. The drones ultimately stationed away from the launching area and apparently returned to their operators without incident, but the scene nonetheless left an impression.

'Just seeing five of them up at once — it was different,' he said.

Lyons said his department has not logged any drone-related incidents in Petaluma, but did recently receive guidance on regulations and enforcement from the Federal Aviation Administration. The July 4 episode was considered something of a bellwether of things to come, he said, and is prompting police to take a closer look.

Fergus, the fire marshal, said his department was also taking a closer look at drone use within city limits, and planned to distribute an educational public notice on the issue next year.

The proliferation of unmanned drones has inspired a spectrum of public reactions, ranging from those dazzled by their photographic prowess to those concerned over privacy and safety. The FAA has been increasingly specific in its guidelines on drone use, including a new set of rules for commercial users that will go into effect in August.

All users must register their device with the FAA, a process that comes with an advisory list of privacy practices that hinge largely on consent from the subject being photographed or filmed. The sub-55-pound machines can't fly higher than 400 feet, and can't fly over people who are not involved in the activity.

Certain areas will be off-limits for flying either permanently or temporarily, including permanent bans on flying near firefighting operations and manned aircraft. Operators are generally required to keep the drone within their line-of-sight.

Users are also supposed to notify airport managers if they plan to fly within five miles of an airport, though Petaluma Municipal Airport Manager Bob Patterson said calls to his office have been rare.

Eric Tobias, a fine art photographer based in Petaluma, said he has been careful to follow the FAA's rules and best practices while experimenting with the DJI Phantom Three Professional drone he purchased over a year ago. The drone has allowed a new perspective on familiar locales, he said, resulting in stunning panoramas of Petaluma's downtown and swooping video of the city's surrounding farmlands.

'Even walking around Shollenberger, you walk around where the loop is, and you can see the river. But as soon as you get it up in the air, you can see the curves,' he said. 'It's one of those things like when you're taking off in an airplane — as soon as you get up off the runway, everything changes. It really changes your perspective.'

He said the products of his drone have yet to officially make the jump to his photography business, but the photos and images have been a hit on social media. Registering with the FAA was easy, he said, and cost $5.

Patterson, the airport manager, said drones have so far not been an issue for regular operations at the facility. Yet like others in the city, it's on his radar.

Flying near the airport without permission just defies common sense, he said, and the FAA's broad definition for reckless flying gives little wiggle room for careless operators. Reckless flying is a violation of federal law, he noted, which can translate to civil fines or criminal action.

'Most of the drones out there are 10 pounds or less. But when a plane is going between 150 and 200 miles an hour and hits something standing still, that's a pretty big impact,' he said.

(Contact Eric Gneckow at eric.gneckow@arguscourier.com. On Twitter @Eric_Reports.)

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