The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is drafting new policies that would restrict the operation of drones in state parks.
According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, Oregon currently does not have any rules of launching or landing drones at state parks in Oregon. However, individual parks can restrict the operation of drones during certain times of day or year to protect wildlife.
Now the parks department is looking to create blanket rules for operating drones with state parks and along Oregon’s coast.
"While we do get occasional complaints about drones, we also get requests from pilots about where and how they can launch and land in a state park and on the ocean shore," OPRD spokesman Chris Havel told The Chronicle. "So it’s not so much about responding to complaints as managing a legitimate form of recreation so it doesn’t create conflicts or cause resource damage. Drones are popular, and we want to give our field staff guidance on how to manage it, and help owners enjoy their hobby by having a consistent approach from park to park."
The rules are expected to be completed as early as June, and the parks department is accepting public comment until April 7.
