KEEPING A SAFE DRONING DISTANCE FROM WILDLIFE

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KEEPING A SAFE DRONING DISTANCE FROM WILDLIFE
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• Capturing wildlife shots can be breathtaking and
  inspirational, whether youre doing so for
  personal use or as a professional, but you must
  still follow the guidelines set out by the FAA to
  avoid the risk of incurring penalties.
• Here are a few pointers, tips and guidelines to
  ensure that when youre flying a drone near
  wildlife whether with the intention of
  photographing or filming them, or simply just
  going near them in passing that you dont get
  into trouble with the authorities, or pose a
  threat to humans, birds or animals.

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• Take the time to find out where you can and
  cannot fly your drone
• Recreational or professional drone use
• Drones may be flown by members of the public for
  recreational purposes, or by individuals for
  professional purposes, only when in accordance
  with FAA model aircraft laws.
• Fly below 400 feet
• Drones can only be flown below a height of 400
  feet, and you must watch out for surrounding
  obstacles.

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• Watch out for designated wilderness areas
• Drones are technically classed as motorized
  equipment and mechanical transport and cannot
  take off, land or be operated from areas that
  have been legally defined as wilderness areas.
  Please check with your state or federal
  authorities if youre unsure about the area that
  you plan to fly your drone in and around.
• TFRs
• Areas that have had temporary flight
  restrictions or TFRs placed upon them, are out
  of bounds for drones. You can always check with
  the FAA for up to date information about TFRs.

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• Keeping wildlife and wild areas safe from harm
• Quiet zones
• Wilderness or primitive areas are usually out
  of bounds for drone operators, especially as they
  are often places in which the public seek peace,
  quiet and solitude.
• Keep a safe distance from wildlife
• It may seem obvious, but it can be easy to get
  carried away when flying a drone and forget how
  invasive they can be, particularly to wildlife.
  Flying a drone close to birds or animals can
  distress them at the very least, and in some
  cases, the shock can lead to death.

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• If you are caught intentionally causing distress
  to wildlife with a drone, such as by flying close
  to animals when theyre rearing their young to
  gain footage or images, you get into a lot of
  trouble with the FAA and local authorities, not
  to mention local wildlife conservationists.
• There are state regulations in place that limit
  the use of drones to detect wildlife or fish, and
  you must never go near animals or birds from a
  vertical position with a drone.
• Operating a drone safely when near wildlife

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• Be alert
• Always keep your drone within your line of
  vision, and if you see that youre flying close
  to birds or animals, react swiftly, but safely.
• Learn to fly
• While many people think that drones are easy to
  fly and can be operated by anyone, its always
  worth taking a few lessons to learn how to fly
  one correctly, especially if you want to avoid
  making mistakes that have the potential to be
  harmful to wildlife or even humans.

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• Avoid airports
• Whether youre flying a drone for recreational
  purposes, or for professional reasons, you must
  always stay at least 5 miles away from airports
  and runways. Failure to comply with this rule
  could see you facing a stiff penalty.
• Respect certain areas
• If the wildlife that you are attempting to track,
  film or photograph are close to, or directly
  within a noise sensitive area like a trail head,
  campground or visitor centre, then you must be
  respectful and avoid flying your drone there.

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• Privacy first
• Whatever you are filming and wherever you are
  flying, you must obey privacy laws, and if youre
  uncertain about whether you can operate your
  drone in a certain area, its best to err on the
  side of caution and stay well away.
• Never forget that the FAA have authority over all
  airspace, and whether filming wildlife or simply
  flying your drone for fun, you must always comply
  strictly with their regulations and guidance.

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