NODE Canada Letter

[Dukatu]

Just got this letter from DJI:

Dear Creator,

The last few years have been especially exciting for drones. Today, drones are generating new opportunities around the world for business, government, nonprofit, educational and recreational use. Drones also assist first responders, make hazardous jobs safer, let people take stunning photos and inspire our children to get involved with science and technology.

As you know, regulators in Canada imposed an Interim Order, which contained recreational flight restrictions that threaten the future of this growing technology. Some of the rules include prohibiting drone flights:

• Closer than 75 meters from buildings, structures, vehicles, animals and people
• Within 9 kilometers of any type of airport, without any provision for airport permission
• At night

These rules have made it very difficult to fly your drone for recreational or other purposes.


This is why it’s important that your elected officials hear how drones are safe, fun and educational. And responsible drone pilots like you are the best people to deliver that message.


To that end, the Network of Drone Enthusiasts (NODE), a drone pilots advocacy group that we helped start, has launched a campaign to make sure that your elected and appointed officials hear your voice. Please visit the NODE page to visit its active Canada campaign site, where you can easily contact the appropriate Canadian officials to let them know that you are opposed to the interim order.

Click here to contact your legislators: http://actnow.io/2bPKC4j

A modest investment of your time will be valuable in protecting your rights and the rights of fellow drone owners and pilots.

Together, we can ensure that public safety is a priority and protect the rights of drone owners and pilots. Thanks again for your willingness to stand up and be counted.

Sincerely,

DJI​

 

[Malakai]

Lol only 75m from buildings and people etc!

it's 150m here in the UK unless you have the PFAW.

 

[Dukatu]

Lol only 75m from buildings and people etc!

it's 150m here in the UK unless you have the PFAW.

According to this site, it's 50m in the UK unless it's a congested area, and also 1.5KM from airports.

Having 9KM as the limit effectively bans flight altogether in cities like Toronto that have like 3 airports, and many helipads.

 

[Malakai]

According to this site, it's 50m in the UK unless it's a congested area, and also 1.5KM from airports.

Having 9KM as the limit effectively bans flight altogether in cities like Toronto that have like 3 airports, and many helipads.

Yup, as the spark has a camera its classed as a Small Unmanned Surveillance Aircraft and as such its confined to flying no closer than 150m to a congested area.
The crap part of this is that the Air Navigation Order defines a congested area as being 'any area of a city, town or settlement which is substantially used for residential, industrial, commercial or recreational purposes'. So unless you live in a rural area you are probably going to breach the CAA rules.
My personal opinion on this is as long as you are flying safely, have good preflight checks and are considerate of others then it shouldn't be too much of an issue. Its only when things go wrong, they will really go wrong.

 

[Dukatu]

Politicians are so overly cautious. Ugh.

We may have to rely on the companies themselves to put pressure on them. If people can't fly, people won't buy. And governments love to keep companies happy.

 

[Malakai]

Politicians are so overly cautious. Ugh.

We may have to rely on the companies themselves to put pressure on them. If people can't fly, people won't buy. And governments love to keep companies happy.

I believe DJI are actively trying to help us with this. I think we should support them. No matter where you are on this globe.