North Bay drone interferes with air traffic, shutting down search and rescue exercise
Drones cannot fly 5.6 kilometres from airports without obtaining permission, North Bay Police say
Police say they were unable to find the person responsible for flying a drone too close to the North Bay airport last Saturday.
A flying club was conducting a search and rescue exercise when a drone entered the airspace, around noon.
As a safety precaution, the exercise was shut down.
The incident caught the attention of Transport Minister Marc Garneau, who took to Twitter with a message:
"Interfering with air traffic near airports with a drone, as was the case in North Bay this weekend, can cause a serious incident. When you fly your drone, you're sharing the skies, remember to always stay away from people, airports, and other aircraft."
2/2 Before you fly a drone, get your drone pilot certificate and understand the rules you need to follow. Review our safety tips here ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/GepLYvnl6E">https://t.co/GepLYvnl6E</a>
—@MarcGarneauDrones cannot fly 5.6 kilometres from airports without obtaining permission.
North Bay police stated in a release that a drone pilot licence is required to fly drones that weigh 250 grams up to and including 25 kilograms. A person has to be 14 years old to get a basic licence, 16 years old to get an advanced licence and children younger than 14 must be supervised by someone with a licence.
Fines for those not following the rules can range up to $1,000 per violation.
Both Garneau and North Bay Police provided a link to Transport Canada's website, where more information can be found about the safe operation of a drone.