NOAA whale-watching guidelines
suggest that boaters remain 100 yards from whales, but they’re only guidelines. So far, guidelines pertaining to the use of UAS for photography have not been drawn up. But NOAA officials will be discussing this issue in upcoming meetings, an agency spokeswoman said.
Airplanes and helicopters are supposed to stay at least 1,000 feet above cetaceans, but are toy-sized UAS such as the kind used by Brennan the same as airplanes and helicopters?
They’re certainly not as noisy, but flying one too close to a surfacing whale could be perceived as a form of illegal harassment. Fin whales, it’s worth noting, are federally endangered.
Photo: Gordon GatesBrennan’s battery-operated Phantom quadcopter, launched from the 95-foot Dana Pride, hovered at an elevation of about 50 feet.
The footage shows an estimated 70-foot fin whale swimming and stealing breaths not far from the Orange County coast. The aerial look provides a unique perspective and enables viewers to see the entire length of these majestic leviathans.
The footage was posted on the Dana Wharf Facebook page Tuesday afternoon, and was being widely shared. It was later uploaded to YouTube.
Brennan has been practicing with the UAS for weeks, and at least one other commercial whale-watching business has purchased one.
Dana Wharf, however, is the first local operation to show off footage from what it’s referring to as the Dana Wharf Copter Cam.
Meanwhile, people are experimenting elsewhere, too.
Photo: Gordon Gates
Source: Pete Thomas Outdoors
Why is a remote controlled Multi-rotor helicopter called an unmanned drone? Its seems the media is making more out of this than it really is.
How duplicitous can it get? All over the world bottom feeders are killing whales with high-explosive projectiles, and someone is worried about a Phantom damaging a whale?
Choose your battles.