Crews who battle wildfires already have a difficult job 鈥� they don鈥檛 need rogue drones adding to the risks. As unmanned aerial vehicles 鈥� popularly known as drones 鈥� increase in numbers, regulations will have to keep pace, but more important is the need for personal responsibility.
The small, remote-control aircraft, usually equipped with video or still cameras, offer countless possibilities, but they also pose potential problems.
One of those problems was evident Sunday when a drone flew near a wildfire in the Oliver area, resulting in the grounding of eight helicopters and an air-tanker team for several hours until it was safe to fly again.
鈥淯AVs are here to stay,鈥� says Prof. Afzal Suleman, director of the University of Victoria鈥檚 three-year-old Centre for Aerospace Research, which focuses on UAV research and development. 鈥淭he technology is very useful, very cost-effective.鈥�
Once largely the domain of the military, remotely operated aircraft are becoming increasingly used for a wide array of purposes as technology improves and costs come down. They can be used to assess wildlife habitat, catch poachers before they kill, ensure port security, patrol pipelines, inspect power lines and assist in search and rescue.
The value of drones in search and rescue was proven a couple of weeks ago when a hiker was injured on Mount Finlayson. David Carlos, owner of Victoria Aerial Photos and Survey, who operates a stable of aerial vehicles, was called in to assist. It took only minutes for his drone to locate the hiker, just as rescuers were arriving at the scene.
As the use of drones increases, so does the need for regulations commensurate with technological advances.
鈥淭he regulations need to catch up with the technology,鈥� says Suleman.
That doesn鈥檛 mean the skies are wide open, he says. Regulations are already in place; problems arise when amateurs don鈥檛 obey the rules.
鈥淚t comes down to taking responsibility,鈥� Suleman says.
Commercial operators of drones require a special flight-operations certificate that comes with restrictions on how high and where the craft can be flown. A person operating a drone that weighs less than 35 kilograms 鈥� it鈥檚 considered a model aircraft 鈥� doesn鈥檛 need a licence or a special permit, but still must follow Transport sa国际传媒 safety guidelines. Those guidelines include not flying UAVs:
鈥� Closer than nine kilometres to any airport, heliport or aerodrome.
鈥� Higher than 90 metres above the ground.
鈥� Closer than 150 metres to people, animals or buildings.
鈥� Near moving vehicles, highways, bridges, busy streets or anywhere you could endanger or distract drivers.
鈥� Within restricted airspace, including near or over military bases, prisons and forest fires.
鈥� Anywhere that might interfere with first responders.
The person who flew the drone near the Oliver fire, if caught and convicted, could face a fine of up to $1,000, but that鈥檚 small potatoes compared to the expenses added to fighting that fire, not to mention the extra danger firefighters encountered. Similar incidents have occurred near California wildfires.
Should hobbyists be licensed before they can operate drones? Do the devices need to be registered? Those measures could be necessary if violations of laws and ethics continue.
The future is bright for these fascinating machines, but it is being dimmed by dimwittedness on the part of the thoughtless few who will make more laws necessary.
