DRONES: ASN/FiA Canada Regs for use of drones at our events

[Reijo]

FYI,

OK, here's what the ASN/FiA Canada (our governing body ... they cover virtually all road racing, karting and autox events in Canada up to and including F1) has to say about drones:

http://www.asncanada.com/wp-content...June13-2015.pdf

So basically you need to abide by Transportation Canada regs, have insurance ($5M) with our club named on it ... etc.

The regs have changed since I last looked at it when they outright banned the use of drones a few years ago or so when the issue came up. Now they are allowed but under the above conditions.

Reij

[JB.STI]

What do you believe the clubs course of action will be if a person unrelated to the event chooses to operate a "drone" overhead while the course is active?

Has this been planned for at all? If it has not been discussed at this point I suppose it needs to be. It's pretty likely to happen at some point.

[JamesTCallaghan]

What do you believe the clubs course of action will be if a person unrelated to the event chooses to operate a "drone" overhead while the course is active?

Has this been planned for at all? If it has not been discussed at this point I suppose it needs to be. It's pretty likely to happen at some point.

Shoot it down, Grand Tour style 

[ZiG]

We red flag the course, drivers get out, put their hands on their hips and stare at the drone until it slinks away?

[NickST]

 Transportation Canada regs are pretty strict. It doesn't allow drones to operate within 9km around airports, which is basically our venues. It also doesn't allow them to operate within 150m from people, animals, buildings, structures, or vehicles (and under 90m high).

[Reijo]

We would obviously have to speak to them to not fly there.

At Fort Macleod since we shut down the airport while we run, should mean that a drone could be used subject to conditions above since the airport is not active.

R

[JB.STI]

We would obviously have to speak to them to not fly there.

At Fort Macleod since we shut down the airport while we run, should mean that a drone could be used subject to conditions above since the airport is not active.

R

Are we talking a red flag situation? What if the operator can't be easily located?

[zero10]

Sorry to promote on your forum but I believe this means that the Westerner lot in Red Deer is allowed if somebody wanted to jump through all the insurance hoops

[Reijo]

We would obviously have to speak to them to not fly there.

At Fort Macleod since we shut down the airport while we run, should mean that a drone could be used subject to conditions above since the airport is not active.

R

Are we talking a red flag situation? What if the operator can't be easily located?

Operate line-of-sight so he/she would be somewhere nearby.

R

[Reijo]

Sorry to promote on your forum but I believe this means that the Westerner lot in Red Deer is allowed if somebody wanted to jump through all the insurance hoops

Yes they could ... just follow the steps, be licenced and bring insurance documents as per ASN requirements.  How does the Westerner feel about drones?  Do you know if they have any rules against them?

Also I suppose the City of Red Deer since they actually own the property and they might have some bylaws about where you can or can't fly a drone.

Reijo

[zero10]

Sorry to promote on your forum but I believe this means that the Westerner lot in Red Deer is allowed if somebody wanted to jump through all the insurance hoops

Yes they could ... just follow the steps, be licenced and bring insurance documents as per ASN requirements.  How does the Westerner feel about drones?  Do you know if they have any rules against them?

Also I suppose the City of Red Deer since they actually own the property and they might have some bylaws about where you can or can't fly a drone.

Reijo

Good questions - I'm hoping to meet with Kelly there in a couple weeks and I'll ask him then!

[Canuck]

I've never been to the Westerner in Red Deer...but I would suggest looking up the Transport Canada regulations.  It's in the city right?  Then it's a NO.  I've had an SFOC and developed "drone" technology for the past decade (I'm a prof...this is what I do).  Stupid actions by people that are flying toys have destroyed this area and brought in government regulations as common sense is uncommon.  It's now over-regulated and I seriously doubt that you could legally fly over the runway at Fort Macleod as it is an active aerodrome regardless of it's status at that point in time.  The regulations clearly state ANY aerodrome - it doesn't say any aerodrome closed for use as a race track for a day...ANY is TC speak means ANY.  Also you're not permitted around houses, people, moving cars...the list goes on.  This is what happens when stupid prevails (I do have an opinion on this). 

So given our tenuous hold over various venues, I'd suggest that we keep the "production values" of the videos to in-car and out of car footage.  All you need is to have someone complain and one of our very nice club flags flying visibly in the background and you've just bought more trouble than I care to deal with.  Trust me, it's easier to have someone in a real plane or helicopter do a fly-by and capture some aerial shots than it is to do this legally.

[DannyO]

Its a shame to hear that this is the case for Drones now. I also like making videos, and really wanted to get a drone and start getting footage from these events, but after all the rules and regulations that came about, and the hoops you have to jump through to do it legit, it just wasn't worth it. Like said above, it would be easier to hire a helicopter.