Sherbrooke’s drone regulations challenged

ASherbrooke businessman is challenging the City of Sherbrooke’s regulations concerning the use of drones, which he describes as "unjust and disproportionate".

William Levasseur is the owner of photography and video studio Pixel Nord, which uses a drone for aerial photography and video. He has a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC), from Transport Canada, as well as all the required insurance for the use of a drone for commercial activities. Since June, however, the City has had a resolution in force prohibiting the use of drones in municipal parks and on other properties it owns, with an exception for drones used as part of an event organized by a non-profit organization.

Levasseur says he has always asked the city when he wanted to use a park for takeoff or landing but that now he is given a categorical refusal.

Levasseur gives as example a contract with the Times Hotel for pictures of the hotel with the lake and the city. He says that with the new regulations this is impossible as he is prohibited from flying over the lake since it is a municipal park and he can’t take off from Belvédère St. because Transport Canada forbids flying over streets where there are vehicles or pedestrians,.

Levasseur says he understands and agrees with banning drones near people or children's games and says that drone equipment is used by amateurs, who can sometimes behave irresponsibly, but argues that commercial operators, can stay on the periphery of parks, and secure the area for take-off and landing and ensure safety. He also

points out that the SFOC certificate required 40 hours of training.

Regulations governing the use of drones vary from city to city. In Magog, when using municipal land, drone operators must sign a document taking responsible in the event of an accident. This allows them to work removes all liability from the City. This, he says, provides a model for a simple solution to the problem in Sherbrooke.

Levasseur intended to be at the municipal council meeting, Tuesday to urge councillors to amend the resolution passed on June 19.