The man who wrote an ordinance that would require the town of Deer Trail to issue hunting licenses for drones, has already sold more than 60 of his own licenses online.
"It's been slow getting the word out," the proposal's author Phil Steel said. "But the ball's rolling."
Most of the licenses — printed on translucent 8½ by 11 inch vellum paper with a spot for the signature of Deer Trail's mayor — have shipped out of state. One order came from Australia, he said.
Earlier this year, after reports about increased government surveillance via unmanned aircraft, Steel proposed an ordinance requiring the town to issue licenses for $25 per year to anyone who applies — so long as they read and understand English.
The drones would have to be flying less than 1,000 feet high over private property and shooting would only be allowed during daylight.
The town board split on the ordinance.
Now Deer Trail residents will have the final say on the ordinance in a special election set for Oct. 8.
But the issue won't go away, even if the ordinance fails, Steel says.
He has started Professional Drone Hunters Inc., envisioning the company as a vendor for governments issuing licenses — but he wants his home town of Deer Trail to be first.
"The town will have the choice of reinventing the wheel," Steel said Tuesday. "It's a question of not whether licenses are going to be sold, but a question of whether the town is willing to accept free money."
Steel said he is concerned about the FAA's work to integrate drones into American airspace, and the possibility of redefining navigable airspace to allow craft to fly lower.
Steel has never seen a drone flying near his property, but he intends the licenses to be more than just symbolic.
"My intent is to encourage people to shoot back," Steel said. "We've lost our patience."
The Federal Aviation Administration has warned that shooting at unmanned aircraft could be subject to criminal or civil liabilities and warned that it creates a danger to the public.
Yesenia Robles: 303-954-1372, yrobles@denverpost.com or twitter.com/yeseniarobles
Comments
It's all fun and games until you start insulting the people who do the work that feeds us. This town's stance on government intrusion is very clear, dont. They like their freedom and have a sense of humor.
But John, that would need 'lectricity and sum of them there 'lectronics thangs and yaw'll remember what happened to cuzzin Joe Bob when he tried to make a milkin' machine out of Sissy's vacuum cleaner...
in all seriousness if someone wants to bring down a drone a gps&rf jammer + directional antenna would be a much better idea... technically jammers are illegal but try to prove it was used
Don't forget Reindeer, HeliStorm!
Well, all the really good stuff in Deer Trail happens after dark. So we only fly and film over Deer Trail at night. At 15 meters maximum altitude and 22 meters/second minimum ground speed. You can hear us (listen hard - that's not Uncle Billy Bob's freezer full of road kill you hear or Cousin Velma's Trojan Twister, it's us) but you can't see us to shoot us down, neener neener neener! Full length infrared and x-ray documentary film "Deer Trail Closets - A Guide to Breeding Out Those Pesky Brain Cells" to be released in time for next Groundhog Day. Preorders accepted.
Seems like the definition of Drone is missing.
This story has been a lot of fun to watch over the past few months. If Deer Park makes this legit, I will definitely purchase one. I don't see this as an issue of shooting down UAVs, I see this as an issue of freedom of speech, and this is how some in Deer Park are getting their message listened to.
Yep. One of my co-workers said that if I ever fly over his house, he'll shoot me down. Good luck with that. I don't hover. :D
This issue reminds me of the guy who is selling Title Deeds for acreage on the moon, and other celestial bodies. The documents are worth less than the paper they are printed on.
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