By Scott Roblin

Tightening of federal drone laws necessary say locals

Jun 12, 2017 | 5:21 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – It’s a tech trend that is growing in popularity year after year.

Drone technology has exploded since 2013, as these personal flying machines have becoming more accessible to the general public to take photos and video.

However, a number of close calls with Canadian aircraft prompted changes from the federal government back in March.

Something that Medicine Hat Police Insp. Joe West said many owners may be unaware of.

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“The drones are readily available, you can buy them and people may be under the assumption they can lawfully operate them within city limits,” said West. “It’s simply not the case, they need to be within the bounds of an area that doesn’t interfere with any buildings, the city, the airport, and so forth.”

Included in the changes earlier this year was limiting drones to 90 metres in the air and no closer than 75 metres from people, buildings, vehicles, and animals.

More recently, the University of Calgary completed a study last week looking at incidents involving drones and aircraft over the past decade.

Seeing a drastic spike over the last four years, sightings of drones in airspace totalled 355 cases and 79 reports of drones coming within 150 metres of aircraft.

A stat that federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau said is unacceptable.

“When it comes to safety, I don’t think that anything is overkill,” said Garneau. “I have read, almost on a daily basis, reports from pilots coming into airports on the flight path, and reporting seeing a drone off the wing.”

Police have called Medicine Hat essentially a no-fly zone for recreational drones, with another law change stating drones can’t be flown within nine kilometres of an airport.

Randy Feere is a local photographer, and has been using an approved drone for his business over the last few years.

Having to obtain permission from the Medicine Hat Airport every time he flies, he said it’s a small price for safety.

“We don’t see air, we don’t see wind and we don’t see some of the effects it has, so the training helps with that,” said Feere. “But also, you step into their world with the drone. You’re in the air and it’s shared space, and it’s very important that we share it very carefully, very wisely, and very safely.”

This year Medicine Hat Police reported one incident involving a drone, and four additional cases in 2016.

One space that is exempt from the Transport Canada rules is the Medicine Hat RC Club, which Feere added is great for local drone enthusiasts.

“I think it’s a safe environment for people to be able to come, and to learn how to operate the equipment and become very familiar,” he said. “That was one of the first things that I did when I got the drone, even before I was familiar with all that Transport Canada wanted.”

Those breaking the Transport Canada rules can face charges of mischief or interfering with lawful use of property, along with fines reaching $3,000.