Graphic: A night with the editor blog series. Graphic created by The Signal Managing Editor Dave Silverio. — A night with the editor blog series. Graphic created by The Signal Managing Editor Dave Silverio.

Hawks and drones soar high

By Liz Davis Last updated Feb 10, 2016 116 0

My birthday was a few weeks ago and one of my favorite gifts was the drone my dad gave me. Really, it is more like a remote controlled helicopter but it does have the ability to take photos and video. This past weekend the weather was actually nice enough for me to take it for a spin so my boyfriend, dog and I headed out to the park.

Photo: UDI U818A 2.4GHz 4 CH 6 Axis Gyro RC Quadcopter with Camera RTF Mode 2. Photo courtesy of Amazon.com. — UDI U818A 2.4GHz 4 CH 6 Axis Gyro RC Quadcopter with Camera RTF Mode 2. Photo courtesy of Amazon.com.

This particular drone is a stunt drone so it is small and lightweight. One of the settings on the transmitter is eversion mode and it has also has a wind resistance mode. Even though it was a little windy, the drone held up well. Once we figured out the controls, the drone was simple to fly. The height and distance that this tiny $50 drone can get is amazing. The only downfall is that the battery life only lasts about 10 minutes.

The U.S. Government along with the Department of Transportation has decided that recreational drones need to be registered with the government due to interference with aircrafts. On Nov. 23, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that any drone weighing over 9 ounces needs to be registered. It is still unclear where and how the drones will be registered but the regulations will be set by the end of the year.

It is still unknown what the rules will be at UHCL regarding drones on campus. I could not find anything posted online and did not get any email responses from campus police. I don’t see any reason why they shouldn’t be allowed on campus.

Recently, Governor Greg Abbott passed the “campus carry” law that allows handguns on campus. If the government will allow handguns on campus, I don’t see why remote controlled helicopters will not be allowed on campus too. There is the issue of security since they have a video camera and this could lead to an invasion of privacy. If the school puts designated “no-fly zones” in place and people register their drones as directed, there should be no problem.

But hey, think twice before you fly. This guy “accidentally” flew a company drone over a “Game of Thrones” filming location in Ireland and gave everyone major spoilers for season 6.

Click here to learn the regulations for flying a recreational drone.