Drones hover at top of holiday wish lists

With nearly a half-million drones expected to land under Christmas trees this year, retailers are stocking up on the small, unmanned aircraft in time for holiday shopping.

“I have four coming in today in an order, and three out of the four are already sold,” Adam Arendas, owner of Show Me Your Hobbies on Alwine Curry Road in Hempfield, said Wednesday. “I've already ordered more.”

The Consumer Technology Association, a trade group, estimates 400,000 drones will be sold this holiday season. It places drones, some of which carry cameras, among the five most popular gifts for 2015 in the category of emerging technology.

Arendas said he has sold drones ranging in price from $49 for beginners to one costing $4,000 for professionals.

“It's just a matter of how serious the hobbyist is, and what they are using it for,” Arendas said.

The increased demand occurs as the Federal Aviation Administration considers adopting registration requirements for small drones and model aircraft designed for recreational use. In a report released this month, a federal task force recommended anyone 13 or older be required to obtain a registration number before operating outdoor drones weighing up to 55 pounds.

Each registrant will be issued a number that must be affixed to each drone he or she operates. As an option, registrants can provide the FAA with each drone's serial number.

When the task force was formed in October, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said registration would ensure operators safely use drones.

”When they don't fly safely, they'll know there will be consequences,” Huerta said.

The FAA receives daily reports of potentially unsafe drone operations. It said pilot sightings of drones near airports increased significantly in the past year — 650 as of Aug. 9, compared to 238 total in 2014.

Some operators made headlines flying them near major sporting events, including one person who flew a drone over PNC Park during a Pirates game in June. On Thursday, police in New York issued a summons to a man who flew a drone in Central Park, near the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade route.

Safety concerns

Enthusiasts encourage people who give drones as gifts to include information on how to fly them safely.

The FAA advises anyone who wants to fly drones or model aircraft within 5 miles of an airport with control towers to contact airport officials first. The radius is reduced to 2 miles at facilities such as Rostraver Airport, which does not have control towers, said Gabe Monzo, executive director of the Westmoreland County Airport Authority.

Users have followed the 5-mile rule when flying drones near Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity, he said.

“Usually, if it's a professional doing professional photography, they give us a courtesy call,” Monzo said. “Most of them have been very responsible.”

John “Bud” Neckeraurer, manager of Joseph A. Hardy/Connellsville Airport in Dunbar Township, said model aircraft enthusiasts for years have abided by the 5-mile rule at the Fayette County facility.

“When they want to fly, it's perfectly legal, even at this airport, but they call me to give me time and altitudes,” Neckeraurer said.

Neckeraurer said he received at least one report of a drone being flown near the airport with no advance notice. The airport issues a “notice to airmen” when an unmanned craft is flown near the airport.

Unity supervisors discussed but have not adopted regulations governing use of drones near Arnold Palmer Regional Airport.

“It's something to think about,” said Supervisor Mike O'Barto. “If the airport authority thinks it's detrimental to airplanes, we're definitely going to have to look at it very seriously.”

Citing privacy and safety concerns, Pittsburgh adopted regulations prohibiting the use of drones and model aircraft in city parks.

In an August report, the FAA listed two sightings at Pittsburgh International Airport in Findlay and Moon over the summer.

On July 13, the pilot of a Hawker Beechcraft BE40 reported encountering a four-bladed drone at the end of a runway on takeoff. The pilot took no evasive action, according to the FAA, andlocal law enforcement was not notified.

On Aug. 16, personnel at the nearby Air Force Reserve Base reported a low-flying drone near a taxiway, but the “entry was not marked significant.” The Airport Authority and police were notified when the drone was then spotted flying alongside an active runway, according to the FAA report. The FAA report does not indicate whether the operator was located.

Bob Kerlik, spokesman with the Allegheny County Airport Authority, said “drone reports ... have been extremely rare.”

Codes of conduct

Micah Rosa, an organizer with Pittsburgh Drone Masters club, said new drone users should spend at least 10 hours flying their aircraft in an unpopulated area before attempting to navigate them near people. Steer clear of airports and helipads, he said, and join a club whose members abide by codes of conduct and are familiar with unseen obstacles.

“There's nothing more dangerous than a solo flier,” Rosa said. “For example, you might think it's OK to fly off Mt. Washington, but a drone club member will tell you there is a radio tower there that might interfere with the signal.”

Rosa advised against using drones to photograph people without their permission, even in a public place.

“You wouldn't go out and take pictures of someone else's kid with your cellphone because that's creepy,” Rosa said. “It might not be illegal, but people perceive it as an invasion of privacy.”

Experienced drone operators can offer advice on equipment maintenance to prevent flyaways and lost drones.

Allison Haley, spokeswoman with the Academy of Model Aeronautics, recommends users visit www.knowbeforeyoufly.org before sending drones aloft. The site — a project with the FAA, the Academy of Model Aeronautics and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International — provides guidance for safe drone use.

Members of community-based groups such as the Academy of Model Aeronautics are well-versed in the safe operation of unmanned recreational aircraft, Haley said.

“It's a lot about education,” she said. “... Instead of just buying a drone on Amazon and flying it in your backyard, our members meet, talk to each other and fly in designated areas.”

Liz Zemba is a Trib Total Media staff writer. Reach her at 412-601-2166 or lzemba@tribweb.com.