Feds warn against July 4th drone use in DC

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is warning July 4th revelers that they can’t fly drones in the Washington, D.C. area. 

The agency said the Washington, D.C. metro area is a “No Drone Zone,” despite its moves earlier this year toward crafting rules for increase use of the devices for non-military purposes. 

“The prohibition against flying any type of unmanned aircraft, or ‘drone,’ without specific approval includes the District of Columbia and cities and towns within a 15-mile radius of Ronald-Reagan Washington National Airport,”  the agency said. 

{mosads}”The airspace around Washington, D.C. is more restricted than in any other part of the country, the FAA continued. “Rules put in place after the 9/11 attacks establish ‘national defense airspace’ over the area and limit aircraft operations to those with an FAA and Transportation Security Administration authorization. Violators face stiff fines and criminal penalties.” 

The FAA’s rules define small drones as devices that weigh less than 55 pounds and require them to be operated at heights that are less than 500 feet and speeds that are less than 100 miles per hour.

The regulations also call for drone flights to be limited to daytime hours and conducted only by U.S. residents who are older than 17. Drone operators are also prohibited under the FAA proposal from conducting flights that take the devices out of their line of vision, which is a big blow to companies, like Amazon, that have touted the possibility of using the technology to conduct deliveries. 

The rules make drone operators responsible for avoiding collisions with manned aircraft that are in the same airspace as the devices, and the prohibit drone flights that “fly over people, except those directly involved with the flight.”

The FAA had been facing pressure to approve a rapid expansion of nonmilitary drone use. Congress had given agency until September, 2015 to finalize new the rules for the unmanned aircraft, but the agency released a draft of the new regulations in February. 

The proposed rules define small drones as devices that weigh less than 55 pounds and require them to be operated at heights that are less than 500 feet and speeds that are less than 100 miles per hour.

The regulations also call for drone flights to be limited to daytime hours and conducted only by U.S. residents who are older than 17. Drone operators are also prohibited under the FAA proposal from conducting flights that take the devices out of their line of vision, which is a big blow to companies, like Amazon, that have touted the possibility of using the technology to conduct deliveries. 

The rules make drone operators responsible for avoiding collisions with manned aircraft that are in the same airspace as the devices, and the prohibit drone flights that “fly over people, except those directly involved with the flight.”

The agency said Tuesday that it “is conducting the ‘No Drone Zone’ campaign so visitors and residents thoroughly understand that operating an unmanned aircraft in this area for any purpose is against the law.

“If you’re in the Washington, DC area for the Fourth, enjoy the holiday,” the FAA said. “But leave your drone at home.”