Legalize UAV/Drone flying in FL State Parks!

[LegalizeUAVinFLStateParks]

I am a new UAV pilot, I have recently purchased the Inspire 1 pro V2.0 and the Venmuse x5 and I am absolutely loving it! I am posting this because with as great as this technology is, I was shocked to learn that here in Florida it is illegal to fly in State Parks. As a professional photographer I gained so much inspiration from taking my new gear out to my local state park and testing my new capabilities.

I understand that there are liability issues involved with flying at the parks but at the same time I think that a blanket ban is absurd. I feel like our parks are doing themselves a disservice by completely banning drone flight and the ability to capture from the air. Showcasing the beauty that we as taxpayers pay to protect would only increase the awareness of why we are paying into the parks as well as drive in traffic to some our state's best locations.

At the very least I feel that proof of insurance and a "resonable" permit fee should be all that is required to fly in any state park and that it would benefit both the UAV pilot in having a non-crowded/rural place to fly as well as increasing revenue, awareness and possible traffic to our state parks.

I have searched around online for quite a while today and I haven't seen anyone supporting the legalization of UAV/Drone flying in FL state parks, I created a facebook page @:

https://www.facebook.com/LegalizeDronesFLStateParks/

Please show support if you agree with the cause, even if it is a long shot I feel that banding together to show support of a specific opinion is important. Thanks!

 

[LoneRCRanger]

Have you contacted the Florida State Legislature or their Department of Parks and Recreation to find out why they are banned? If you're interested in Liability Insurance that will hold up in court, join the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA). I am a member and I have a liability policy with them because I am a member. The AMA covers ALL types of model aircraft including UAVs.

 

[Chuck]

This is not an issue limited to Florida state parks, as there is a similar ban in national parks, and many local, county, and state parks, across the country. Understandably in some areas, they don't want drone pilots while looking for a downed UAV, to unexpectedly meet up with a cougar or a bear. There's also the aspect of campers objecting to being under aerial surveilance against their wish for privacy. Then there's the fact that more than a few restricted military facilities are located in hard to reach remote locations in some of these parks, for good reason that we don't need to go into here. And they don't want unauthorized overflights, for security reasons. What I haven't seen posted here, are any thoughts on farmers in easily accessible areas, opening up non-planted fields for this activity (at a reasonable profit). Considering the vast open acreage that would be available for practicing everything from honing control skills, to aerial acrobatic contests, military-style aerial dogfighting, and just plain testing of UAV's after modification. That could be a revenue goldmine, for some enterprising farmer with open land not currently in use.

 

[LoneRCRanger]

There are always two sides of a coin. Put yourself in the position of those that you just described and ask yourself the same questions from their point of view. There's got to be some compromise otherwise there can be no agreement. I fly a drone and a fixed wing and I fly them in an area that is acceptable for their operation. When I go on a trip, the drone is the last thing I am concerned about, so I am not going to operate it in an area that may be restricted. Everyone likes their privacy and what privacy means is no one looking over your shoulder or over your head, without knowing about it. I would always ask permission especially from those bears and cougars.

 

[Chuck]

There's a well known restricted area in the Nevada desert outside of Las Vegas, that even military pilots are forbidden from overflying, without specific authorization, due to what we can only speculate about what is going on within the perimeter. And the government has the perimeter posted with signs, stating the use of deadly force is authorized, for intruders. So flying a UAV even outside the fenceline but close enough for aerial photography, will result in more "excitement", than any drone pilot is expecting for the day....

 

[LoneRCRanger]

Then the rule of thumb would be "don't fly it there..." unless, of course, you want to be shot at by the military police guarding that area that does not exist.