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Recently, Christine Taylor of The Towne Law Firm, P.C. shared an article with Woodall's Campground Magazine about the rise of drones and what that subsequently means for your park.
In recent years, drones have become more prevalent and more advanced. Amazon has even begun testing them for delivery vessels. This being said, a slew of regulations have come along with them. With those comes many questions such as: Can campers fly them at your campground? Can campers get in trouble for using drones? What about your other guests – what rights do they have?
Federal laws restrict drone usage in many ways, including:
• They cannot be flow at night without proper lighting
• Drones should weigh less than 55 pounds (unless certified)
• They should not be flown above moving vehicles
• You cannot fly close to other drones or interfere with their movement
• You cannot fly them faster than 100 mph
• You cannot interfere with emergency and rescue operations
• You should not recklessly operate your drone
Furthermore, the state of California passed a law in 2015 prohibiting drone flights over private property, classifying it as “trespassing.” Breaking this law can lead to fines of around $500 or even a misdemeanor.
So, what does this mean for your RV park or campground?
If you don’t like drones, you can ban your guests and outside individuals from flying them on your property. The severity of the ban will depend on the state law.
If you do like them, you can allow them, but you should retain specific rules about where and when they can fly.
If someone is operating a drone and you have knowledge about it, it is your duty to assure they aren’t invading you other guests’ privacy.
As with all up and coming technology, some of this is subject to change as more people “test the waters.” You, as an RV park/campground owner and operator, should take the time to review your policies and make sure you are prepared to address the growing impact of drones.
Take a look at Woodall's Campground Magazine for the full article!
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