Hope you all have a safe and joyful holiday season….James
here’s a ‘sign of the times’ note from Guelph Hydro
Helpful Reminders for Drone Safety from Guelph Hydro
(GUELPH, ON) December 22, 2015 – With drones and quadcopters being hot Christmas items this year, Guelph Hydro Electric Systems Inc. would like to remind new drone and quadcopter operators – children and adults alike – of the dangers associated with flying these machines near overhead power lines or other electrical equipment.
“Excited children or adults may rush outside to try out their new drone on Christmas morning without looking up and around for overhead powerlines that could pose a serious hazard,” says Kazi Marouf, Chief Operating Officer of Guelph Hydro Electric Systems Inc. “It is important for children and adults to understand that if a drone gets entangled in or near a powerline, trying to retrieve it using a ladder or a pole could be deadly. Instead, customers should call Guelph Hydro for assistance to safely retrieve a drone caught in a powerline.”
Guelph Hydro offers the following tips for drone and quadcopter safety: Only fly your drone during daylight and in good weather – not in rain, windy conditions,
fog or clouds Before launching your drone, be sure to look up and around to identify any hazards –
overhead power lines, transmission towers, cell phone towers, buildings, signs, etc. Always consider where the drone might crash and what damage or injury it could cause
if it suddenly fell out of the sky Never fly your drone near moving vehicles, highways, bridges, busy streets or anywhere
you could endanger or distract drivers Keep your drone in sight, where you can see it with your own eyes, not only through an
on-board camera, monitor or smart phone Respect the privacy of others – avoid flying over private property or taking photos or
videos without permission Don’t fly close to animals Don’t fly higher than 90 metres above the ground Don’t fly within nine kilometres of an airport Never fly where you may interfere with police, fire or other first responders
For an information sheet entitled: “Do’s and Don’ts for flying your drone safely and legally” visit Transport Canada at: www.tc.gc.ca/safetyfirst