Just one more weigh in on the drone issue.
Daniel Meyer, in his 1/31 drone post makes some good suggestions about possibly concentrating drone use to one special "drone day" event. Our historic site is a light station on the shore of Lake Superior and has become very attractive to drone operators to capture aerial footage of the scenic lighthouse and shoreline.
Problems cropped up immediately after the first drone video was posted of the site. Even though the 25-acre historic site, and the surrounding 2200-acre state park are both no-fly zones we have had to deal with up to three drone incidents a week. Drone activity above and around the site is extremely disruptive to outdoor tours and interpretive activities. We have also had at least two drones crash into the cliff or into the Lake Superior, narrowly missing the lighthouse with its irreplaceable 3rd-order Fresnel lens.
One other concern at our location is that of a nesting peregrine falcon population in the immediate area. I have not seen it yet, but these birds are predators and very territorial and could easily mistake a drone for another bird. The Minnesota DNR is concerned about interaction of drones with breeding falcon populations.
I am not against drones. They are very cool and do serve a legitimate purpose. The problem arises with drone hobbyists who either don't understand the concerns, or just don't care.
Lee RadzakHistoric Site Manager
Split Rock Lighthouse
Minnesota Historical Society
218.226.6372
Check Split Rock Lighthouse out on
Facebook ------Original Message------
I second contacting the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) as mentioned already. They are super helpful on suggesting ways of managing these types of issues.
As a museum employee and a drone pilot myself I can see the issue from two perspectives. On one hand I would like the drone to get out of the area since it may damage property and on the other It's cool someone is interested in our museum enough to fly their drone to view and possibly record video of our museum!
You certainly don't want to have a situation where a drone may fall and damage property or people. On the other hand it may be more productive and welcoming to consider embracing the drone community in your area. This could serve multiple functions. You could actually invite drone pilots to a drone day, where they would be able to capture your awesome museum with aerial photos and video. This would allow you and others to learn more about drones and at the same time set the constraints of flying near the museum. The AMA can help you with organizing a event of this type if you decided to go this route. I think it would make your museum appear progressive and welcoming to groups who may want to fly a drone near your museum because they think it's a cool place to view from a drone. You can also collect these videos on a youtube page that would actually increase traffic to your museum.
Here are some examples of museums hosting drone events:
MEET THE DRONES DAY AT THE MUSEUM | Frontiers of Flight Museum
"Unmanned and Sunny" Drone Education Event |
Florida Air MuseumYou could go another route and find out your local laws about drones and radio control aircraft. You may be able to call the police on the drone and pilot. Although I don't think this would be very good pr. Finding and talking to the drone pilot in a professional manner and working with them to understand your concerns might work better than you imagine as well.
In the extreme, you could also build or buy a device to safely ground the drone, however the legality of these items is still being established. As a drone pilot I find these devices interesting, since they bring a drone down safely without damaging it and send a clear message that drone piloting is not wanted in a specific area.
Long-Distance Jammer Is Taking Down Drones | Make:
Build a Wi-Fi Drone Disabler with Raspberry Pi | Make:
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Daniel Meyer
Fab Lab Manager
Museum of Science & Industry
Chicago IL