No Drones Allowed In Long Beach Township

They’re not your grandfather’s gas-powered model airplane, endlessly circling in a loop.

Hobby drones - which often are equipped with high definition or night vision cameras - can shoot panoramic views, fly high or dip low, depending on what the drone operator is trying to achieve.

But the Long Beach Township Board of Commissioners don‘t want to see them anywhere in the township, according to The Sandpaper.

The governing body recently adopted an ordinance that bans the devices.

The ordinance defines drones “unmanned aircraft that can fly under the control of a remote pilot or via GPS-guided autopilot mode, can fly at altitudes below the navigable airspace (generally 400 foot) and are equipped with surveillance technologies.”

Hobby drones can pose a danger to both residents and property. Violators could face up to a $2,000 fine 90 days in jail or 90 days of community service, the ordinance states.

To read the entire story in The Sandpaper, click here.

Time magazine notes that the videos sometimes surface on YouTube.

“Without a doubt, there may always be a segment of rebellious flyers who will keep buying camera-equipped drones and flying them outside the bounds of the law, criminal charges be damned,” the Time article states. ”Still, the new wave of drone-cinematographers would do well to look at the recent arrests, investigations and near-accidents as proof that flying legally while advocating for their preferred rules is better than breaking the law and flying dangerously to rack up the YouTube views.”