Unlawful use of a drone to capture video of killer whales.

Dronecation · 2024-08-20T11:19:06-0400

The federal agency is warning drone operators that it is illegal to fly a drone within 304 metres of marine mammals:

B.C. film company fined $30K for flying drone too close to killer whales

The federal government has fined a Vancouver film company and its drone operator $30,000 for unlawful use of a drone to capture video of endangered killer whales off the British Columbia coast.

bc.ctvnews.ca

mavic3usa · 2024-08-20T11:38:42-0400

Someone forget to tell them. Oh, never mind, this is another one of those drone-only laws. Just like the UK....Canada isn't a free country.

Cafguy · 2024-08-20T12:05:45-0400

Spotting, Herding, and Harassment of Wildlife is Prohibited For any aircraft! It can land you in some pretty hot water. ALL states that I know of require some sort of permit to spot, herd, or even observe Animals for long periods of time. There are consequences for not only the Animals you are watching BUT those other animals in the area. Remember You are Flying in their Home!
It is a known fact that constant Drone conflicts will cause a nesting bird to abandon the chicks. So we all should be responsible about watching, Flying around, and photographing animals and their habitats. Don't stick around forever and If the animal notices the Drone its time to leave!

WV. Rootman · 2024-08-20T12:19:47-0400

Flying without a permit was definitely not the thing to do. They should have just went further up the coast and then tried to get a permit with the US, they might have done better.

AeroJ · 2024-08-20T12:34:30-0400

Dronecation said:
illegal to fly a drone within 304 metres of marine mammals:

Well that's a weirdly specific number ! Perhaps at 306 meters everything is fine, but any less than that and their fins fall off

Prop Wash · 2024-08-20T13:12:35-0400

304m is just shy of 1000'. I guess the zoom lens didn't get them what they needed. The "No Permit" thing is what got them especially since the 2020 permit had not been approved.

Droning on and on... · 2024-08-20T14:04:52-0400

This is the sort of thing that, in the US, there's a reasonable chance of hearing from the authorities when you show off on social media.

Making sure you get properly punished for a BVLOS violation out on the south forty in the CA central valley, not so much.