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Kaydence

Beach Fanatic
Jan 19, 2017
1,415
1,124
Florida
According to the news article on the new beach vendor rules...the BCC has decided that drones will now be getting some regulation.

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong I'm sure but... under what authority does the BCC have to regulate air space?

Second 2 part question...doesn't the FAA certify drone pilots and don't they have to follow federal regulations as well??

www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20180109/charcoal-grills-banned-from-south-walton-beaches
 

miznotebook

Beach Fanatic
Jul 8, 2009
962
603
Stone's throw from Inlet Bch
Not sure about authority, but drones were added to the definition of "aircraft," which are subject to the following regulation in the Beach Activities Ordinance:
Sec. 22-58. - Aircraft.
No person operating, directing, or responsible for any airplane, seaplane, helicopter, glider, balloon, dirigible, parachute, ultralight, or other aerial apparatus shall take off from or land on the beaches or water bodies.
 

FactorFiction

Beach Fanatic
Feb 18, 2016
494
409
According to the news article on the new beach vendor rules...the BCC has decided that drones will now be getting some regulation.

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong I'm sure but... under what authority does the BCC have to regulate air space?

Second 2 part question...doesn't the FAA certify drone pilots and don't they have to follow federal regulations as well??

www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20180109/charcoal-grills-banned-from-south-walton-beaches
Good questions!
 

Jimmy T

Beach Fanatic
Apr 6, 2015
866
1,235
According to the news article on the new beach vendor rules...the BCC has decided that drones will now be getting some regulation.

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong I'm sure but... under what authority does the BCC have to regulate air space?

Second 2 part question...doesn't the FAA certify drone pilots and don't they have to follow federal regulations as well??

www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20180109/charcoal-grills-banned-from-south-walton-beaches

I wonder what the specifics of drone regulations are.

I was really hoping for total removal of vending equipment, but once again, Tony votes with the vendors, not the majority of his constituents. We need to be more vocal about this next year.

I am happy to see that they still will not allow food and drink vending.
 

Kaydence

Beach Fanatic
Jan 19, 2017
1,415
1,124
Florida
@miznotebook & @Jimmy T

First to admit I know nothing about drones except that they are mostly "boy toys" and the government uses them in situations where manned flight is considered too risky or difficult....the eye in the sky if you will, and have seen beautiful images, some posted by Kurt and others here of aerial photos taken on Sowal beaches. It's a manned robot.

I've also heard they can be used as a search and rescue tool which in my humble opinion isn't a bad thing when you have tourists who, despite warnings, go into the water when it simply isn't safe to do so. They can also access locations where it would be impossible or safe for humans to go. That's the extent of my knowledge.

In looking for more information I ran across this...

The FAA has implemented a set of unmanned aircraft rules (Part 107), placing limits on autonomous or semi-autonomous drone operation. Specifically, the FAA mandates, among other things:

  • Unmanned aircraft must remain within visual line-of-sight of the remote pilot in command and the person manipulating the flight controls of the small UAS or, alternately, within VLOS of the visual observer
  • Drones must at all times remain close enough to the remote pilot in command and the person manipulating the flight controls for those people to be capable of seeing the aircraft unaided by any device other than corrective lenses
  • UAVs may not operate over anyone not directly participating in the operation, under a covered structure or inside a covered stationary vehicle
  • Daylight-only operations, or civil twilight (30 minutes before official sunrise to 30 minutes after official sunset, local time) with appropriate anti-collision lighting
  • Must yield right of way to other aircraft
I guess my point is that I don't know of anything the BCC can do better than the federal government, except screw it up more. In my opinion its overreach by County officials in an effort to control if, the FAA already has rules in place that the operators must abide by.
 
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Jim Tucker

Beach Fanatic
Jul 12, 2005
1,189
497
Other local places have tried to ban them and failed. The FAA guidelines are pretty good. I suppose banning take off and landing from beaches might be wise for safety - if not a legal ban could at least be discouraged.
 

FloridaBeachBum

Beach Fanatic
Feb 9, 2017
463
112
Santa Rosa Beach
First to admit I know nothing about drones except that they are mostly "boy toys" and the government uses them in situations where manned flight is considered too risky or difficult....the eye in the sky if you will, and have seen beautiful images, some posted by Kurt and others here of aerial photos taken on Sowal beaches. It's a manned robot.

I've also heard they can be used as a search and rescue tool which in my humble opinion isn't a bad thing when you have tourists who, despite warnings, go into the water when it simply isn't safe to do so. They can also access locations where it would be impossible or safe for humans to go. That's the extent of my knowledge.

I guess my point is that I don't know of anything the BCC can do better than the federal government, except screw it up more. In my opinion its overreach by County officials in an effort to control if, the FAA already has rules in place that the operators must abide by.

Yes, of course this is a typical Walton BCC overreach and ill thought out; no drone “… shall take off from or land on the beaches or water bodies.” OK, people will cross onto vacant private beachfront house decks (seen it happen) or park on 30A right of way and launch drone over private properties.

Courts struck down the FAA requirement to register small drones. FAA over-reach.
Court Strikes Down Drone Registration Requirement | Daily Planet | Air & Space Magazine

The most critical part of search and rescue is detection time. Best idea I’ve heard for beach search and rescue (and code enforcement) is the military idea of real time “constant stare”. Good discussion here: Best Money Saving And Effective Solution For Tdc Oversight

Would eliminate Walton vehicles “constant driving” (tire tracks defiling the beauty of the beach) up and down the beach without probable cause too. “Constant stare” would be much more cost effective than “constant drive” or million dollar surplus Sheriff helicopter.
Code Enforcement At Eastern Lake Today

Photo For John G
 

FloridaBeachBum

Beach Fanatic
Feb 9, 2017
463
112
Santa Rosa Beach
Kaydence, some have rebuked your posts. You take the effort to point out the ineptness of Walton leadership you know about and like you many of us are just “not going to take it any more.” Don’t agree with everything posted but thanks for saying what many, that I know, feel about the way Walton county government is incompetently run (at the expense of $170,000,000 plus TDC $20,000,000 tax payer's money).
https://www.co.walton.fl.us/DocumentCenter/View/29613
 
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