Unmanned Aerial Vehicle The latest drone news
The Texas Military Department took to Twitter to inform civilian drone operators to keep out of the sky over Hurricane aid efforts.
#ALERT: We are seeing civilian drones that pose EXTREME dangers to our rescue pilots and crews in excessive want areas. @FAANews #Harvey #TMDHarvey pic.twitter.com/fq9qrL9duA
— Texas Military Dept (@TXMilitary) August 26, 2017
The Texas Military is made up of the Texas Military Department, the Texas Army National Guard (TXARNG), the Texas Air National Guard (TXANG), the Texas State Guard (TXSG) and the Domestic Operations Task Force (DOMOPS). As their Twitter account exhibits, the Texas Military Department is totally engaged in rescue efforts within the areas affected by Hurricane Harvey and storm flooding. While the FAA printed clear steering asking drone customers not to fly, many have taken to the skies anyway so as to seize photographs of severely flooded areas.
The FAA says that operators flying over affected areas will face penalties:
The FAA warns unauthorized drone operators that they could be topic to important fines in the event that they intervene with emergency response operations. Flying a drone with out authorization in or close to the catastrophe space could violate federal, state, or native legal guidelines and ordinances, even when a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) will not be in place. Allow first responders to save lives and property with out interference.
In response to the Texas Military Department tweet, the FAA responded with a collection of responses emphasizing momentary flight restriction (TFR) doesn’t want to be in place for drone operators to be in violation of federal, state and native ordinances in opposition to interference with emergency response efforts.
Many fliers have commented that documentation is required to let individuals know which areas have been flooded. While true, uncoordinated efforts are unlikely to be useful. And because the drone business struggles to change public notion about drones, operators ought to be cautious about even the looks of flying irresponsibly.
First responders in Texas are working to the extent of their assets to assist storm victims – and everybody ought to attempt not to make their jobs tougher.
