Town board approves drone regulations

Town of Huntington has approved legislation regulating drones. The new law applies only to recreational use of the devices known as Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

The law says that the devices can't use imaging technology for aerial surveillance; interfere with other aircraft; can't be on someone's property without the consent of the property owner; can't monitor people without their permission; can't fly higher than 400 feet; fly in adverse weather conditions, or near or over sensitive infrastructure or property such as power stations, sewage treatment facilities or heavily traveled roads within the town, among other things.

"This is a new phenomenon and has impacts on local land use and we thought this was a sensible way to try to regulate it," said town board member Mark Cuthbertson, sponsor of the legislation. "It maintains people's privacy and it's geared toward safety because there are safety implications for unmanned aircrafts."

Any person found in violation of the law, which will be enforced by code enforcement, can face a $1,000 fine and/or imprisonment of 15 days.

The town board approved the measure by a vote of 5-0 at its Oct. 6 meeting.