Small remote-controlled personal drones, originally a hobby activity, have morphed into many useful roles. Coupled with cameras, they’re used now by farmers to check on crops, by real-estate agents to provide new views of properties to prospective clients, and so many more.
But there are also growing concerns about their use, and abuse of their capabilities.
Some people have been flying the drones near airports where they may end up posing a threat to aircraft. There are also privacy concerns from camera-equipped drones “peeping” into back yards and apartment windows
Now a new issue has arisen.
In the prairie province of Saskatchewan a specific ban on “unmanned aerial vehicles” or drones has been added to the province’s wildlife regulations.
This is because of reports from the US that some hunters were using drones to spot game. Previous regulations in the province, and elsewhere banned aircraft from being used to hunt game. Although Transport Canada considers these UAV’s to fall under aircraft regulations, the addition of the words “unmanned” aerial vehicles makes it very clear the rules apply to these small remote controlled devices as well.
“The biggest concern is that these devices would give hunters an unfair advantage,” said Travis Williams, a wildlife allocation specialist with the Environment Ministry. Saskatchewan hunting groups agree with this concern and support the ban with concern that in addition to spotting game, the devices could be used to chase wildlife out into the open.
Although there have been no reports so far of any hunters using drones, Saskatchewan wanted regulations to be in place before a problem arose.
The neighbouring province of Manitoba enacted similar legislation in June.
US report on hunting with drones in Louisiana, USA
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