Flying high with a drone

By Miranda Monahan

Have you ever thought about travelling with a drone?

You are not alone. Drones have risen in popularity and are easy to buy at electronics stores, such as Best Buy.

Drones are aerial vehicles without a pilot on board. They can be used for photography and videography.

The rate of flying drones in places where they should not be flown has tripled since 2014 in Canada.

To fly a drone in Canada, the operator needs to have a drone operator’s licence. You need to know about the different types of airspaces, metrology, rules of flight, flight planning and legal implications if you were to fly a drone illegally.

Some airlines have their own restrictions for travelling with a drone.

“Batteries must be drained below 20 per cent to board an aircraft, always check with the airline first,” said Shawn Beringer, chief pilot at Airborne Recon Canada.

Lithium batteries for both the drone and its controller is the biggest concern for airlines.

Da-Jiang Innovations is a drone manufacturer and recommends on their website that those who are going to travel on an airplane with a drone pack their drone in their carry-on luggage because if the battery were to catch on fire, the flight crew could get to it quickly.

Travellers with a drone should also invest in a travel case for it.

“I do not have any experience travelling with my unmanned aircraft system, however they are simple to pack in the right travel case,” said Dan from TouchCases.ca, an online store, which sells drone cases and accessories

Deciding where you want to travel to is a big part of planning any trip, but if you want to take your drone, make sure the destination you want to travel to will allow you to bring your drone there.

“Always fly legally and be courteous. No need to be disturbing locals or ruining other people’s vacations,” said Beringer.

Some of the places where drones are banned include Cuba, Cote d’Ivoire, Algeria, Barbados and Iran.

Some of the best places to fly a drone are the Swiss Alps, Haiku Stairs in Hawaii, San Francisco and Barcelona, according to OutstandingDrone.com.

Drone adoption is on the increase. If you are going to take a drone on an airplane, always check with the airline beforehand to see what their recommendations are.