By Lizzie Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle
At the front of a terminal building at Buchanan Field Airport near Concord, Lowell Richards flicked on a projector and dimmed the lights.
Aerial footage of crashing ocean waves, sweeping vistas near lighthouses, sunsets over the water and wind turbines filled the screen. And then the perspective shifted: Tiny drones whizzed past the landscapes, filming video and taking photos. Richards, a retired flight instructor, whistled.
“That’s something you can normally only do in a helicopter,” he said Saturday to the class of about 10. “Drones are being used to do roof inspections, film videos, fight fires and help police agencies assess situations. But you have to be aware of the rules.”
The novice operators jotted notes and asked questions, eager to learn the regulations before buying their first drone. The session was part of the free “Know Before You Fly” program, a national educational campaign that offers classes to help users fly drones legally and safely. A second session will be held Saturday at 9 a.m.
There are plenty of concerns. While the drones in the air above California aren’t anything like the military types that fire rockets and do reconnaissance work above modern battlefields, that doesn’t mean they can’t cause problems.
Civilian drones have been spotted over California wildfires, delaying and endangering the tanker planes fighting the blazes. At a wildfire that destroyed cars on a freeway in San Bernardino last July, a pair of drones actually chased some of the firefighting planes, keeping them away from the blaze for as much as 20 minutes, a fire official said. The Federal Aviation Administration reports receiving about two dozen complaints a month about drones flying too close to piloted aircraft.
The flying machines now can be bought nearly everywhere — online, in stores and from specialized companies. As many as 1 million were anticipated to be sold during the holidays, said an FAA spokesman.
But while unmanned aircraft systems, as the drones are formally known, aren’t going anywhere, the laws surrounding how and where they can be used are changing.
Three new California laws that went into effect Jan. 1 will impose strict penalties for drones flown over schools, jails and less than 350 feet above residential areas without permission from homeowners. It’s important for new owners to understand drones before they send them into the air, Richards said.
“How many of you actually own a drone already?” he asked.
Two people, one a woman clutching a Styrofoam box, raised their hands.
“I brought one here,” said Annelies Rainer of Richmond, gesturing to the box. “I tried to fly it at home, but it scared my cat. I just want to play around with it for fun and take some photos. Which is why this class is exactly what I need.”
Across the room, David Myers of Hercules agreed. For months, Myers had seen more and more drones flying — in the Oakland Estuary, in the parks near his home, along highways. Myers said he wanted to be part of it.
“Just think, this is a unique perspective for a photo and no one else will have it,” he said, speaking faster out of excitement. “I haven’t bought one yet because it seems like the rules are being changed constantly. I just want to know when and where I can fly.”
DeWitt Hodge, a partner in the United Pilot Services, the organization kick-starting the classes in the Bay Area, said the class has generated significant interest. Part of that, he said, is the popularity of drones.
“The technology has gotten better, prices have come down and it appeals to everyone,” he said. “I just want to make sure people can operate them under the right rules so they don’t get in trouble or face jail time. It’s a unique opportunity to see the world through a different perspective. Who doesn’t want the experience of flying?”
©2016 the San Francisco Chronicle Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
