HALIFAX – Drones, the flying camera that can take hundreds of photos people can’t, are becoming very popular throughout the world.
Their use, providing unique video from different vantage points, can be helpful but it can also be a negative, that’s why some are saying there needs to be more regulation of them.
The 13th annual Unmanned Systems Canada conference got underway in Halifax Tuesday and the hot topic was Transport Canada’s drone regulations.
The price of drones has dropped in recent years to the point where they are accessible to people for a variety of uses. They’re used for everything from shooting wedding ceremonies, to search and rescue, to getting an overview of disasters.
But the air space drones are flown in may also be in use by others, and they may be posing a risk if they’re operated in the wrong place.
“The challenge is, number one, make it more rigorous in terms of law, so that it’s easily interpreted,” said Stewart Baillie, past chairman of Unmanned Systems Canada. “The other real challenge is to start enabling beyond visual line of sight operation because that’s still only performed on a case-by-case basis.”
Baillie says regulations are important citing the example of using drones to find hot spots in forest fires. However, drones can also hinder an operation if operated by an amateur.
“Because the unmanned aircraft were there, the manned operations that were trying to drop water had to be curtailed,” said Baillie, recalling a situation where firefighters were cautious out of fear of a helicopter hitting a drone.
Drones are even being used by farmers.
“(The farmer) can do a scan of a field and determine the percentage of invasive species versus his crop species,” Eric Andrews, another past Chairman of Unmanned Systems Canada said. “He can apply his agri-chemicals more accurately and more sparingly.”
Mark Langille of Flight Lab says Transport Canada is doing a pretty good job, but there are still some issues.
“It’s a bit frustrating from a commercial operators point of view because we’re restricted in terms of when and where we can fly,” says Langille. “Recreationally you can pretty much go and do it anywhere you want.”
David Fraser practices privacy law, and likes to have his own fun with drones. He says there have been submissions to Transport Canada that privacy needs to be part of any new laws.
“I’m not convinced of that,” says Fraser. “We have a robust system of privacy laws that regulate businesses, that regulate police, that regulate private citizens. I think it needs to be balanced.”
Otherwise, Fraser says it could stiffle development.
The conference continues until Thursday.
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