ca drone laws | Apple Valley Bail Bonds

Published May 30, 2017

Fines for Misusing Your Drone

Drone flying can be fun, and get some great aerial footage, but drones are not toys. Anyone who flies a drone must do so within the rules and regulations set by the FAA. Even if a person is not intentionally flying their drone in violation of the restrictions, it is no excuse. Not knowing the rules will not prevent you from needing to fines that are around a few hundred to one, to two thousand dollars. Here are some past instances where a person was mishandling the operation of their drone, and was forced to pay a fine as a result.

Tuscaloosa, AL, November 2015
Gregory Taylor was flying his drone over the Bryant Denny Football stadium during tailgating when it hit a pedestrian. He turned himself in and was fined $1,100.

San Juan, Puerto Rico, October 2015
Two drones collided in midair and crashed into the ocean. Both Marcos Plaja-Ferreira and Alberto Haber-flores were each fined $1,100 because of damage to a nearby hotel.

Manhattan, New York, July 2014
A police helicopter chased after a drone that was flying too close to the George Washington Bridge. The NYPD initially reported that the helicopter had to perform evasive maneuvers to avoid colliding with the drone but as it turns out, they embellished this story. As a result, the drone operator, Remy Castro, had his $1,600 fine reduced to $800.

Manhattan, New York, September 2013
David Zablidowski, the first person to ever be fined for flying a drone, flew his drone into several buildings. He was fined $2,200 but his case was settled for $400.

Washington DC, May 2015
It is illegal to fly drones within 30 miles of DC, unless the person has special permission from the government. Damian Dizard and Monica Singleton did not have special permission when they flew their drone within the restricted area. They were fined $3,300 each.

Owning and operating a private or commercial drone requires maturity to do so within the laws. If you, or someone you know, owns a drone, make sure you are well red with what is and is not allowed. You definitely do not want to get police attention, or be fined a few thousand dollars.

Published May 18, 2017

Dear Drones: The Sky is Not the Limit

When it comes to drones, the sky is not the limit anymore. In fact, it has not been for quite some time now. The discussion of drone usage and laws has largely died down, but we think it is appropriate to revisit and go over the laws again. This even more important now that we are approaching fire season again. A few weeks ago a brush fire broke out in Riverside; the firefighters had to temporarily halt their aircraft, to spray water from the air, because of drones in the area. To avoid having to stall emergencies like these, there are certain drone usage rules set in place for both commercial and private usage. Some laws overlap, while others apply to one or the other.

• Drones must be registered with the FAA.
• Drones must be flying within eyesight at all times, may not fly higher than 400 feet, and may not fly faster than 100 mph.
• Drones may only be used during the day.
• Unless given permission, a drone may not be flown over other individuals and their private property.
• If a drone is carrying a package, the combined weight of the package and the drone must be under 55 pounds.
• People need a pilot’s license to fly a commercial drone or have passed an aeronautical knowledge test and a background check at an FAA-approved facility.
• If a business sees the need to use their drone in ways that would go against the standard regulations, they may apply for a waiver from the FAA.
• Drones may not fly near airports and must not interfere with manned aircraft operations such as police or fire helicopters that are in active duty.

There are other rules and regulations for drone flying, in addition to those mentioned above. Anyone caught violating any of the laws will generally face a misdemeanor and the fine can be a few hundred to a few thousand, depending on the situation. Consequences can get worse if drones are intentionally flown to stall emergency operations, such as the need to put out a spreading wildfire. The longer firefighters are stalled, the bigger the fire gets, the more damage it does, and more resources are wasted.

Simply put: the sky is not the limit when it comes to drone usage.

Published May 14, 2017

Do You Know The Rules of the Sky?

Drones have quickly grown in popularity over the last few years, and for good reason. Drones allow us to take to the skies with ease, and can even give us a bird’s eye view of the world we know. Due to their steady increase in popularity, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released several rules for drone owners

Some of these rules are:

• Register your drone with the FAA.
• Take a lesson before flying your drone.
• Never fly your drone above 400 feet.
• Always inspect your drone before flying it.
• Never fly your drone where you cannot see it.
• Never fly your drone near airports or manned aircraft, this includes flying near wildfires.
• Do not fly your drone where it can hurt people.
• Do not fly anything over 55 pounds.

By following these rules, you reduce the risk of getting into trouble when flying a drone.

As fun as they can be to fly, many people view drones as an invasion of their privacy. While understandable, there are, unfortunately for these people, no laws specific to drones about invading people’s privacy. For the most part, people would have to refer to regular privacy laws regarding recording of information. This means that it is illegal to film or record anyone without their consent if they are in an area where privacy would be expected. This includes places like:

• A person’s home
• A person’s backyard
• Any restrooms

Basically, if you would expect privacy in a place, do not record someone with a drone in that place.

Drones are meant to be fun, and can offer us a unique view of the world we know. If you have a drone, be sure to use it safely and properly, and remember to respect people’s privacy.