A new West Lafayette law could extensively regulate private and commercial drone-flying in the city limits. The West Lafayette city council is set to hear an ordinance this evening that places new flight rules on drones, such as keeping the aircraft within the pilot’s line of sight at all times and prohibiting flying more than 50 feet in the air. Councilman Steven Dietrich sponsored the ordinance and says he’s not aware of any drone-related incidents, but wants to stay ahead of the curve – and he feels the council will agree. “We’re trying to issue some local control before it gets to be a problem,” Dietrich says. “So I don’t anticipate it being too much of an issue.” The council is expected to vote on drone-flying regulations at its meeting this evening. The ordinance would place a $25 registration fee on the aircraft and prohibit flying drones onto someone else’s private property or dropping anything from the drone. Dietrich says the rules are to protect privacy and promote safety.
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