Drone Pilot Gets Trespass Warning From Disney World
Though much has been made of the theme parks being empty during the COVID-19 shutdown, it should be remembered that there are still essential cast members at the theme parks including security guards. One recent drone pilot found this out the hard way!
According to the Orlando Sentinel, security at the Magic Kingdom recently noticed a drone about the size of a frisbee flying overhead about 1000 feet from Cinderella Castle last month. An off-duty Orange County deputy wasn’t impressed when he caught the man in a parking lot of a nearby apartment complex. The man wasn’t identified but he was 40-years old and from Minneola according to reports.
The incident report filed on May 20th includes details from a local deputy who said, “I asked him why he was in a parking lot of an apartment complex he did not live in and standing behind trees out of view from Reams Road, he did not have a clear answer to the question.”
Several sheriff cars arrived on the scene and the man reportedly felt embarrassed not realizing that his drone could be seen as a threat. After being confronted by Disney security the drone pilot said, “I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong.” However, according to Disney, Walt Disney World Resort is a no-fly zone and the use of drones prohibited.
Credit: AirspaceMag.com
More stringent restrictions were put into place after 9/11. During this time, the Anaheim Parks, as well as those in Walt Disney World, received flight restriction status which includes a ban on any remote-controlled devices including drones. Nothing is allowed to fly below 3,000 feet and within t3 miles of the parks on both coasts.
In the case mentioned above, the 40-year-old man received a trespass warning. He also said that he deleted the photos he took as a favor to Disney telling the Sentinel, “I don’t want to get into more trouble with Disney.”
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Source: Orlando Sentinel
