Drone operators will now see the over 750 CDFW lands as prohibited airspace through the Federal Aviation Administration’s mobile app B4UFLY.
The (FAA) granted public land managers, like the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), access to the app, widely used by drone operators. The app serves as the FAA’s tool to communicate airspace restrictions but has now been updated to include ground-based restrictions for drone operations on public lands. The app now clearly defines that all properties managed by the CDFW are off-limits to drone operators. The department says these lands are designated as wildlife areas or ecological reserves to preserve biodiversity, making drone operations potentially harmful to the wildlife in these areas.
While signs prohibiting drone use are already in place at many CDFW facilities, access points without proper advisories pose a risk. The B4UFly app aims to help resolve the conflict by providing information for drone pilots to operate legally and responsibly, as stated by CDFW’s GIS Manager and Unmanned Aircraft Systems Coordinator, Steve Goldman. CDFW recognizes the effectiveness of drones in natural resource management but urges drone operators to follow flight tips and regulatory guidance to avoid negative impacts on wildlife.
For more information, you can the Dones information page found on the CDFW’s website, and on the B4UFly app.
