Is It Legal to Fly Drones on Oregon Beaches?

Is It Legal to Fly Drones on Oregon Beaches?

Oregon is an extremely exquisite place with beautiful beaches and awesome natural beauty. It has scenic coastal landscapes and is said to be heaven for photographers and videographers. A large number of people visit Oregon to witness its beauty and capture in their cameras. With the advent of drones the popularity of using drone cameras to take stunning pictures has increased alarmingly. Drones let them capture scenes of areas which are otherwise hard to reach. They can also take photographs from challenging angles as they are small and easy to manage.

But usage of drones has to be done responsibly. Drones fall under the category of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). As it is ecologically sensitive area, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have stated some regulations which each drone owner has to follow.

·         You have to pass the FAA’s Aeronautical Knowledge Test to obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate if you want to fly a drone as a commercial pilot for work / business purposes.

·         You may either have to operate under the FAA’s Part 107 rule or obtain a federal Certificate of Authorization (COA) if you want to fly a drone as a government employee.

·         You have to register your drone with the FAA and follow the FAA’s Special Rule for Model Aircraft if you want to fly a drone as a as a hobbyist.

You must fly the drone in the Oregon state below 400 feet so that it does not interfere with aircraft. The state is full of wildlife and drone may disturb animals leading to undue stress. They may consider UAS as intimidations and start to panic and cause any damage to themselves or other animals. Due to this it is not legal to fly drones near wildlife refuges and National parks.

At Yaquina Head there are lots of seabird colonies and it is also a habitat of harbour seals and California sea lions. The Bureau of Land Management has banned use of drones in this area so as to prevent any potential hazard to the habitation.

There has been a temporary ban until further notice on lands included within the National Wildlife Refuge System and all of the parks, monuments and historic sites. National Wildlife Refuge System consisting of 1,800 offshore rocks, reefs and islands is a home for various species of seabirds, seals and sea lions. A large number of visitors came to admire the beauty and wildlife of this gorgeous place. Therefore, it has become highly essential to make laws so as to protect the place and the animals, especially nesting seabirds from human destruction.

It is illegal at the Oregon coast to bring Boats and aircraft (including drones) near 500 feet from offshore rocks and islands included within Oregon Islands Refuge. Those who violate the rules will be punished and may be fined hundreds or even thousands of dollars according to the type of disturbance they have made and the location.  According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife: “Launch the UAS more than 100 meters (328 feet) from wildlife. Never approach animals or birds vertically with the UAS.”

There is a 363-mile-long park along the coastline of Oregon. The Oregon Parks and Recreation have allowed the use of drones with certain restrictions and they should not approach or disturb wildlife. According to the Park Manager for the Beverly Beach Management Unit, they should not be flown in campgrounds also.

As per the FAA guidelines which has complete authority over the whole airspace, any aircraft weighing more than 55 pounds (total weight, including payload and fuel source) cannot be flown. If you are using UAS to search for or detect wildlife and fish you must follow state wildlife and fish agency regulations. Certain areas are congressionally designated Wilderness Areas or Primitive Areas and are preferred places for people to find solitude. You should not fly drones at such areas so that people get disturbed there.

Certain civil laws also apply to drones like causing injury or damage due to negligence through drone, fearing someone with the use of drone, trespassing your drone to someone else’s property, invasion in someone’s personal life through drone or creating any sort of nuisance in someone’s enjoyment. Anyone found breaking any of these laws will be punished as per the rules.

If you really wish to enjoy your visit to Oregon and witness the beauty and aura of the place, kindly follow the rules and regulations are specified by different govt. authorities and stated in the article. Drones are a really great invention giving complete insight about a particular place. But preserving wildlife is a responsibility of each one of us. It’s on us how we preserve and care for our natural resources. If drones are causing threat to any of our natural resource we should use them with utmost care and responsibility.

It will be good if you keep your UAS within your visual line of sight at all times so that there is no risk of breaking any rules. It is a great idea to get proper training to fly drone and UAS. Be in your legal limits and do not interfere with manned aircraft operations. Drones can put immense adverse effect on the wildlife and natural habitat. It is not only a legal requirement but also our moral duty to safeguard our mother nature. Have fun with your drone at the Oregon coast but with safety and while following the rules and regulations as defined the government and other state authorities.