I guess I should have realized this, but I didn't.
I've never really been in the market for a drone, but I've occasionally considered what I'd do with one if I were to buy one. The obvious thing to do would be to go to a local park or school with a lot of wide open space, and just put the drone up in the air and start flying it.
But what if I lived in San Bernardino?
I wouldn't have asked that particular question before, but when I heard about the Gatwick Airport drone incident last year, it occurred to me that perhaps you can't fly your drones right next to an airport.
And San Bernardino has an airport. And if you go to that airport's web site, you'll find out that you can't fly a drone next to the airport - or far away from the airport either.
Before flying any [Unmanned Aircraft System] within 5 miles of SBD International Airport, operators must contact the air traffic control tower for proper coordination (phone number is listed on the attached map).
Yes, that's a five mile restriction.
But I don't live in San Bernardino - I live in Ontario.
Uh...we have an international airport also.
And while Ontario International Airport's website has no drone restriction information, the Federal Aviation Administration has a helpful app (B4UFLY) that includes maps indicating where drone flying is restricted.
So much for flying that drone at Chaffey High School.
Or, for that matter, at Upland Memorial Park.
Or just about anywhere in Ontario, Upland, or Rancho Cucamonga...
