Canadian Railroads > drone operator fined

Not railway related, but, sooner or later it could be.   Doug
http://www.wltribune.com/news/398962891.html

As far as I'm concerned they should ban the damn things completely; at the very least operators should be licensed and drones registered.  I've seen a couple incidents myself and we're beginning to hear about more of them.  If we don't get a handle on this we're going to rue the day they came along.  Sweden has just banned the use of drones with cameras which is a good start...

https://www.thelocal.se/20161026/why-businesses-are-worried-about-swedens-drone-ban

Keith Robertson
Langley, BC

Agreed on the ban. There have been several incidents around JFK and LHR airports with pilot sightings.  Photographers did just fine without them. That said, there have been some stunning images. But they should definitely be banned from photo charters. A hazard to participants as well as the noise on video. Unless there is time and a separate runpast just for the drone operators. 

Perhaps the gov will just tax them like fireworks and pot?

​Victor A. Baird
​http://www.erstwhilepublications.com

There was a commotion several years ago when multiple helicopters jockeyed for position during a steam 614 charter.  That was on Moodna Viaduct in NY state.   And another when multiple helicopters chased 4449 in Oregon, I believe.

People screw around and take serious risks with drones, with helicopters, with hot cars, and any number of other expensive toys.  Everybody has stories about stupid and dangerous pacing behavior on steam excursions.

In the US, there are registration requirements as well as oporational requirements.   See www.faa.gov.  Don't know about counties other than the US.   I don't know how they could be 'banned from photocharters'  if the operator was flying a registered drone within the regulatory flight parameters from a public space.   That said, there's no reason to be a jerk.

Those drone operators flying too close to airports only did this AFTER hacking the software installed in the drones that prohibits flying near active airspace. Most drone ops I know fly respectfully and get some stunning images, but its a classic case of a few bad apples spoiling the whole bunch. Banning drones from photocharters is like saying we should ban people who take video, cause it annoys all the still photographers everytime they have to keep quiet for the video guys!

Canada has had rules and guidelines in place for some time now, the recent rules that became active in the US are copied from exisitng Canadian laws, but there is talk in Canada on more rules and possibly an insurance requirement.

-Trevor
(drone operator since 2015)
andersonb109 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Agreed on the ban. There have been several
> incidents around JFK and LHR airports with pilot
> sightings.  Photographers did just fine without
> them. That said, there have been some stunning
> images. But they should definitely be banned from
> photo charters. A hazard to participants as well
> as the noise on video. Unless there is time and a
> separate runpast just for the drone operators. 

tsokolan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> but its a classic case of a few bad apples spoiling the whole bunch.

That line right there will affect the future of drone photography and has impacted our hobby of railfanning for generations now.  Well said.

stevelv Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> tsokolan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > but its a classic case of a few bad apples
> spoiling the whole bunch.
>
> That line right there will affect the future of
> drone photography and has impacted our hobby of
> railfanning for generations now.  Well said.

If everyone drove sensibly and responsibly, we wouldn't need highway police...

Oh, guess the pot got stirred with this thread. Here I thought nobody from the other forums looked at this forum.  Doug