While camera-mounted drones gave Americans stunning new views of the Fourth of July fireworks shows across the country, the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating several of the flights to determine if they violated airspace regulations.
The FAA said it is “looking into multiple incidents in which unmanned aircraft flew into fireworks displays to determine if there was any violation of federal regulations or airspace restrictions,” ABC’s Nashville affiliate reported.
The investigation was prompted by a YouTube video posted by Robert Hartline, a Nashville man who flew a drone over Music City to capture the fireworks spectacle from above.
“I thought it was fun to showcase Nashville,” Hartline said. “and that’s what Nashville is all about. We put on a good show. I happened to get it on video.”
In the video clip, Mr. Hartline advertises a commuter ride-sharing service, hytch.me.
“Flying model aircraft for hobby or recreational reasons does not require FAA approval, but hobbyists must operate according to criteria under the law,” FAA officials told the news station. “Certificates of Waiver or Authorization are available to public entities that want to fly a [unmanned aerial system] in civil airspace. Commercial operations are authorized on a case-by-case basis.”
• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
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