Local drone policy still fairly up in the air

After Monday’s men’s basketball national title, thousands of Tar Heel fans rushed Franklin Street in Chapel Hill. Many of them had their phones to capture the fireworks and crowds, while others used drones to get aerial shots.

Chapel Hill resident Justin Eisner received millions of views on his drone footage of people rushing to the intersection of Columbia and Franklin streets, but some Facebook users commented saying he violated Federal Aviation Administration laws.

“I got the drone on Saturday and honestly had no idea about all these rules and regulations,” Eisner said.

Eisner, concerned he would be penalized, contacted an FAA representative to learn more about the laws.

“If you don’t do it again, you can’t get in trouble. You can’t plead ignorance twice,” Eisner said. “With there being so much ambiguity, new technology, not a lot of people know about it ­— there would be leeway from their standpoint.”

He said the representative said that as long as Eisner doesn’t use his drone footage for commercial use, he won’t get in trouble. Eisner said he registered with a hobbyist license, which took about five minutes and cost $5.

“You have to register with the manufacturer first, and then they direct you to the FAA,” he said.

He said registering for a commercial license is much more extensive.

“There are so many variables that have not been ironed out,” he said. “I guess the mindset of the drone community is to err on the side of caution.”

Capt. Joshua Mecimore, spokesperson for the Chapel Hill Police Department, said there are no local ordinances restricting the use of drones in Chapel Hill.

“It could pose a risk, but that is whether there is a need to regulate and that is not for the police department to decide,” he said.

The Carrboro Board of Aldermen updated the town code on March 21 to include the prohibition of flying drones over town property.

Board of Aldermen member Randee Haven-O’Donnell said this was a matter of safety.

She received a complaint from a Carrboro resident about the lack of drone policy.

“If there are cameras attached, they could look at the property, so you can understand the constituents’ concern and I think that’s something we have to be mindful of,” she said.

Haven-O’Donnell said she spoke with the Carrboro Police Department and opened up a discussion about surveillance and drones hovering over people’s homes at a board meeting.

“It is disconcerting because these are remote-controlled and you don’t know if they have a camera, so it speaks to the question of drones and surveillance and people feel they have that sense of vulnerability,” she said.

Sgt. David Deshaies of the Carrboro Police Department said if an officer on patrol sees someone operating a drone on town property, the officer would normally give the operator a verbal warning. If the drone owner doesn’t comply, then the owner risks receiving a citation for violation of the town code prohibition on drones.

“We received only two 911 calls regarding drone usage,” he said. “It is not a state law violation.”

Haven-O’Donnell said the town has to take technology into consideration when making policy.

“It’s a question of how do we craft policy with the awareness of the use of technology and the implications of the use of technology,” she said.

city@dailytarheel.com