Los Angeles City Council to discuss drone restrictions

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Motion to restrict drone use will be discussed at Los Angeles City Council Meeting TODAY. Looks like they only want us to fly in "designated areas".

MOTION:
http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2014/14-1198_mot_8-29-14.pdf
Text below:

The operation of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS's), also known as Drones, have been increasing greatly within the City of Los Angeles.

These UAS's are either gas or electric driven and controlled by a signal sending device that is in the possession of the operator.

It must be understood that UAS's are susceptible to the same conditions and could encounter the same problems that any aircraft, flying over the City of Los Angeles, would experience. Since the size of the Drone is usually small and used as a recreational tool, the UAS currently can be flown anywhere in the city at a relatively low altitude. Because of its size, its ability to fly low and its low noise signature, the Drone can be flown in areas and virtually be undetected by citizens on the ground.

The operator also has ability of controlling the aircraft and losing visual contact with the aircraft which would put the safety of thepublic andproperty at risk. At this time, the owner and operator of a UAS has the opportunity to launch andland the aircraft at any time in the city.

As per LAMC63.44, entitled "Regulations Affecting Park and Recreation Areas" there are specific locations a UAS cannot be operated.

In order to endure of the safety of residents and visitors in the City of Los Angeles, it is imperative to restrict the operation of Drones to definite and fixed locations.

I THEREFORE MOVE that LAPD, the CAO and the CLA be instructed to provide recommendations on how to strictly enforce the restriction of operation of UAS's to "designated areas" or "remote controlled airfields" within the City of Los Angeles.

PRESENTED BY
TOM LABONGE Councilmember, 4th District

Follow this topic:
http://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm?fa=ccfi.viewrecord&cfnumber=14-1198
 
Does not sound like a discussion at all but a imposed band dictated by the LAPD. Next will be still photography, and then free speech. Flying in a "remote controlled airfield" should be great video - we can all record the same thing, and film one another doing that!

Where's the common sense to solving public policy issues? The only way this is solved is through elections - get out and vote for those willing to defend our hard fought freedom.
 
Wow, sucks to be in LA. Sadly, I don't see this type of thing as getting any better. It's going to spread like a wildfire until pretty much everyone is going to have to break the law in order to send their drone up in an urban area. Yes, I blame the morons who all think they have something to prove by flying their UAS over areas they know damned well are going to be provocative (like Police precincts). Can you really blame the cops for being pissed about it? It's those kinds of stunts that are the reason the hammer's coming down now, and LA won't be the last place to see banning. I would not be suprised at all if every major city in the country will impose some kind of ban by this time next year.
 
Nothing is banned in LA right now. It is a request for the LAPD to come up with recommendations. Hopefully some common sense will prevail before this goes much further. The entertainment industry will certainly not be pleased and it will send even more production out of LA. That won't reflect well on Mayor Eric Garcetti. Bottom line, this is the same knee-jerk idiocy that we've seen elsewhere.

I would like to ask Tom LaBonge, Councilmember 4th district, city of Los Angeles to quantify his concerns. He says the use of drones has grown significantly in Los Angeles. I would agree. Maybe he can produce some empirical data on the number of incidents reported that resulted in injuries, property damage or any other form of loss, criminal activity or code violation.

I would like to further ask Tom LaBonge, Councilmember 4th district, city of Los Angeles if he thinks we should restrict the use of bicycles to designated areas. There are reports of people getting hurt or even killed by cyclists or while using bicycles. These need to be avoided. Maybe bicycling should also be limited to designated areas away from people, traffic and other hazards. Maybe it too can only safely take place on the outskirts of the city.
 
The thing is we actually need some sort of regulation and it was going to happen regardless if some guy flew over the PD parking lot or not.

I dont think DJI or others only wanted 10 people to buy their products and use them where no body could see them being used.
This stuff is going to the masses and you can call the masses idiots all you want but here in the US we call them "CONSUMERS" and we need them all to consume but now they are consuming its time to regulate.

simple.. weather or not the regulation is something you agree with is part of the system. If you dont like it you play the game and the system and try and change things the right way.
 
Sensible regulations, yes. Banished to the wastelands, no. Let the rules fit the size of the problem.
 
eckoner said:
The thing is we actually need some sort of regulation and it was going to happen regardless ...
But regulations don't prevent misuse.
Misuse of quads will happen regardless of regulations just like cars, guns and a hundred other things get misused all the time.

Someone should take TOM LABONGE Councilmember, 4th District out flying so he can see what it's all about, how it works and why people do it.
At the moment the way he imagines drone use is somewhat at odds with reality.
I want to get one of his kind of drones ... Because of its .. low noise signature, the Drone can be flown in areas and virtually be undetected by citizens on the ground.
 

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