News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
A growing hobby of drone flying has caused the Crossville Cumberland County Emergency Management Agency to highlight aircraft safety precautions.
Director Travis Cole said the agency has not encountered any issues with drones, but there are several misunderstandings about the gear.
“People will buy these cool toys and not realize the weight of the law that goes with them,” Cole said. “Certain drones have to be registered as an aircraft. They have to be licensed as a UAV pilot through the Federal Aviation Administration.”
Cole said with the fall colors and the holidays around the corner, he expects the drone hobby to increase. Cole said new users are actually pilots and should be aware of the basic safety precautions.
“I’ve heard some stories of interference with drones in other departments in other areas,” Cole said. “Up here in Cumberland County, we have a lot of people that come up here to do activities recreationally like flying drones. The fall foliage has really made that step up recently.”
For example, the federal government says drones should not be flown above 400 feet, be within five miles of an airport or fly near emergency responses.
