Should Wauconda restrict drone use?
Wauconda officials will develop regulations to limit the use of small, remote-controlled drones over public and private property.
The move was prompted by complaints about someone flying a drone near boaters on Bangs Lake earlier this summer, Village Administrator Doug Maxeiner said. Officials fear the buzzing machines - formally called unmanned aircraft systems or unmanned aerial vehicles - could distract boaters, water-skiers or other people on the lake and potentially cause injuries.
More sinister safety issues also were raised during a discussion Tuesday at village hall.
"Who knows what kind of weaponry can be attached to these things," Maxeiner said.
Privacy is another concern. Drones often are equipped with digital cameras, and they're able to film people sunbathing or recreating in their yards or on the lake in ways hand-held cameras cannot, officials said.
Maxeiner, Police Chief David Wermes and trustees reviewed the issue during the village services committee meeting.
Wauconda Park District board member and photography enthusiast Dirk Leahy brought his camera-equipped drone to the meeting to show officials how the device works and what it can do.
Trustees agreed drones can be a great tool for filming special events, such as parades or other gatherings. However, they also acknowledged the safety hazards a drone could pose if it malfunctioned or was maliciously flown into or over a crowd.
Used for decades by the military and law-enforcement agencies worldwide, drones have become increasingly popular with civilians in recent years as prices have dropped to under $50 for some models.
Schaumburg, Evanston and Chicago are among the few Illinois communities that restrict recreational drone flying.
"This really is untrod territory," Wauconda Trustee John Barbini said.
Schaumburg's ordinance, adopted in July 2015, prohibits drones from flying within 100 feet of village-owned property during special events. An earlier version that also had restrictions for local park, school and library districts' property, was rejected as being too broad.
Wauconda's services committee recommended Maxeiner and attorney Rudy Magna develop an ordinance restricting drone use. A draft policy could be ready for committee consideration next month.
Officials would ask the Federal Aviation Administration, which has rules and a registration system for drones, to review the proposal, too.
A board vote would follow.