The Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) has issued a notification in advance of a number of highly attended open air spring/summer events beginning with the Volvo Ocean Race scheduled for mid May. Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), often referred to as Drones, have surged in popularity over the past few years and are increasingly being used to obtain photos and video. As a reminder, anyone wishing to operate a drone within RI must first obtain permission from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). More information is available at www.FAA.Gov.
Any use of drones/UAS in the vicinity of any public open air event may violate Rhode Island’s Uniform Aeronautical Regulatory Act (UAR) and Aeronautics Regulations, constituting a misdemeanor. RIAC is enlisting the support of the RI State Police and local law enforcement departments to monitor and enforce this law.
The Rhode Island Airport Corporation’s primary concern is aviation safety. This is expected to be another busy season of open air spring/summer events in Rhode Island. We encourage everyone to participate and enjoy themselves at these events but we ask them to please leave their drones at home.
