Kinosoo Beach will be sporting some new signage this summer after the City of Cold Lake signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with 4 Wing.
Last year, 4 Wing Cold Lake approached the city about installing no drone zone signs throughout the municipality.
At their Tuesday Jan. 22 council meeting, the city discussed just where the signs would be located, prior to signing the MOU.
According to general manager of infrastructure services Azam Khan, the city has agreed to install signs in one location: Kinosoo Beach.
“We’re restricting it because (in) the original request (they were) everywhere,” Khan stated.
Kinosoo Beach was chosen as the first location to test the signs and inform the public because of drone usage on Canada Day.
“We just want to gradually get into this, educate the public, and go from there,” expressed CAO Kevin Nagoya.
Khan believes signage throughout the city could create “a false impression that the City of Cold Lake is enforcing” the legislation, when in reality, that’s not the case.
Transport Canada has created a policy banning flying Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) within a certain distance of an airport, including 4 Wing.
Other regulations being enforced require a pilot to remain within 500-metres of the drone, keep it within their sight at all times, mark the UAV with their name, address, and telephone number, and carry the proper licensing and certificates depending on the drone’s weight.
“This is a very much evolving piece of legislation that’s changing all of the time, but they do have criteria as what classifies certain drone sizes and licenses required,” noted Nagoya.
Khan added, in order to operate a UAV within the no drone zone, a pilot must first obtain a special flight operation certificate from Transport Canada.
There has been some question in terms of who can regulate the policy.
Nagoya said there have been cases where 4 Wing has called the city asking them to send their municipal enforcement officers, however, they “don’t have jurisdiction.”
“Our bylaw officers don’t enforce. This is a federal law that’s only enforceable by RCMP and Transport Canada Investigators,” Coun. Kirk Soroka confirmed.
Although the signs will be within the municipal boundaries, council stressed this isn’t a city bylaw, but is legislation created and monitored by Transport Canada.
Mayor Craig Copeland was wondering if they could add another location to the MOU.
His suggestion was the Cold Lake Marina.
“If you’re out on the water and you know how to fly those things, some people do take shots of their boat,” he noted.
Khan said he would add the marina as another possible location.
