VS Commission explores drone ordinance

The buzz of drones overhead in Valley Springs may soon be regulated.

Valley Springs Mayor Carl Moss said the City Commission's July 11 discussion was prompted following concern expressed by a city resident whose neighbor has a drone.

“They’re becoming so popular, there’s a couple of drones in town and it’s to protect everybody’s privacy,” he said was the reason behind the discussion.

In his research, City attorney Patrick Glover is recommending similar guidelines in Aberdeen’s ordinance, which was adopted in March 2016.

The Aberdeen ordinance authorizes limited drone operation in city airspace for hobby and recreational purposes only. The ordinance does have some limitations, such as a no-fly zone area within one mile of the airport, over any person not involved with the drone without their consent, over vehicular traffic, over property not owned by the drone operator, and over property owned, leased or operated by the city.

The ordinance does allow drones to temporarily cross from one authorized property to another authorized property over streets, roads and alleys.

Children under 13 years of age must be accompanied by an adult when operating a drone, must fly the drone at an altitude higher than 400 feet above ground level, cannot be flown between sunset and sunrise or when weather conditions impair the operator’s ability to operate the drone safely, cannot be flown over schools, places of worship, law enforcement buildings, or another property owner’s home without their consent.

Glover said a guideline that surprised him was that drones cannot be equipped with a firearm or other weapon.

“There was probably an issue with that somewhere, which is why it is listed,” he said.

Glover did advise that drones would be allowed in Valley Springs on the drone operator’s property and in the city’s two parks, Legion Community and Cassady parks, and violatng the ordinance would be viewed as a Class 2 misdemeanor, and for someone under 13 years of age, it would be viewed as a petty misdemeanor.

The Commission will have its first reading of the ordinance at their Aug. 8 meeting, with the second reading to follow in September.