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Drone operators in Ballarat City have lost the right to fly their aircraft over municipal land. New local laws were passed at an ordinary meeting on Wednesday night, banning drones in public spaces. The sweeping changes included in a motion presented to council required drone operators to apply for a permit to fly within 100 metres of an event on council land, or road within municipal district. It will affect private and commercial drone pilots. Commercial drone operator Luke Parker told councillors at the meeting they had introduced the new law without considering its full implications. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Mr Parker said drones were already regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority and there was no need for council involvement. “Why is Ballarat council looking to further restrict the use of drones, when one of leading aviation safety authorities in the world has not done that?” he said. “The backyard is now the only place you can fly, because pretty much everywhere else is council land.” CASA offers three level of licences, according to Mr Parker. A basic certificate allows operators to use a drone that weighs less than two kilograms. The other two allow for the operation of heavier drones and the business use of drones. Council infrastructure and environment director Terry Demeo said the local laws would not supersede CASA’s existing regulations. “It simply provides a measure for control of this new technology on council reserves, such as the lake and other high intensity pedestrian activity,” he said. CASA fined 20 people in the past year for drone violations. Restrictions include how close drones can fly to large groups of people. Mr Parker said he and other drone operators wanted council to set aside areas at parks that did not require permits for flying. He also said businesses should have a blanket permit for flying, so they did not have to repeatedly request permits for the same area, which could force the city’s 12 commercial operators out of business. It was not clear if council has the ability to regulate airspace, traditionally the jurisdiction of CASA. Casey City Council also passed laws to regulate drones earlier this week. Council voted 7-2 in favour of the new local law, with councillors Mark Harris and Daniel Moloney voting against it, although Cr Harris said he had an issue with other areas of the local law, not the section regarding drones.

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