Drones take flight
Pilot: Drones have limitless uses
SCHENECTADY, N.Y. » The way Gary McPherson sees things, the sky’s the limit when it comes to finding new and creative ways to use drones.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation, which he works for, has employed them to map wetlands, respond to hazardous waste spills and save lives, by finding missing persons.
McPherson explained such opportunities and the rules regulating drone use, during his presentation, “Unmanned Aerial Systems: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly,” to the Schenectady Amateur (“Ham”) Radio Association.
“It’s up to your imagination what you can do with these things,” he said. “We keep coming up with ideas.”
McPherson, a Glenville resident and DEC environmental engineer, began flying airplanes at 15 and became the first FAAcertificated remote drone pilot in the state two years ago. He helped form the DEC’s drone program and is one of its pilots and instructors.
On one mission, which Gov. Andrew Cuomo responded to personally, drones helped emergency personnel survey and free a large oil barge that had run aground in the Hudson River near Catskill. They help prevent the spread of disease and invasive species that threaten forests by giving biologists a bird’s-eye view of woodlands tree canopy.
At the Great New York State Fair in Syracuse, drones are used to help people find parking spaces in large crowded lots.
Energy companies have even used them to string power lines.
Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo said, “We are in the process of starting a drone program. We have two members trained, both of whom are licensed airplane pilots as well. Our primary purpose is to assist with collision reconstruction and evidence gathering. Our hope is to eventually utilize them for search operations, HazMat and fire scene observation and documentation.”
The machines vary in price and complexity from basic models, costing a few hundred dollars, to extremely sophisticated versions ranging up to $140,000. McPherson urged people just starting out to buy a toy model, to get acquainted with controls because crashing a high-priced drone is an expensive way to learn.
“The smart thing to do is play with it, get used to it,” he said. “It gives you the stick skills. That’s the most important thing. Then you get a more expensive one.”
One of DEC’s best drones cost about $40,000, fully equipped with a high-quality camera.
“But if you save one person on search-and-rescue it’s worth every penny,” McPherson said. “The capabilities of drones are endless.”
Driven largely by recreational owners, the popularity of drones is growing by leaps and bounds across the U.S. An estimated 5.5 million units are in use now, an increase of 3 million in the past two years alone, and numbers are expected to reach 7 million by 2020.
Drones are a big part of a com-
mercial photography business McPherson owns, in addition to his state job. However, strict rules apply once people start flying drones for more than hobby and recreational purposes.
“If you fly for a hobby you can fly pretty much anywhere, any time of day,” he said.
For anything other than personal use, drones are restricted to 400 feet above ground level and people must obtain a remote pilot’s certificate. For either use, personal or commercial, drones are prohibited in state and national parks and they may never be flown directly over people.
“It only takes one mistake and you’re going to crash it,” McPherson said. “You’ve just got to be careful where you fly.”