A 33-year-old Wallaceburg man has been hit with a $250 fine after he allegedly used an unregistered drone to videotape a crash scene in Wallaceburg.
Chatham-Kent police said they had locked down the scene of a serious motor vehicle collision on Dufferin Avenue in Wallaceburg at around 10 p.m. on April 3 when a man -- who saw the scene was closed -- deployed a drone into the air to take video of the scene.
Police said the man then flew the drone alongside the ambulance as it made its way to the hospital with the victim -- a 30-year-old Wallaceburg man who later died from his injuries in a London hospital.
Officers said the man continued to operate the drone outside of the hospital in Wallaceburg as the patient was brought in, adding that the drone was still in the air a short distance from the helicopter landing site while an Ornge air ambulance was en route and flying toward the hospital.
Investigators said the video of the incident was later uploaded to YouTube along with several other videos taken by the drone. Police were notified of the video and assigned a drone operator with the CKPS Unmanned Aerial System Unit to investigate.
As a result of the investigation, which was carried out in partnership with Transport Canada, officers identified the drone operator as a 33-year-old Wallaceburg man and after interviewing him and investigating further, the man was charged with operating a remotely piloted aircraft system without it being registered -- he was also issued a $250 fine.
As a follow-up to the incident, CKPS Drone Operator, Constable Josh Flikweert is also reminding drone operators to be aware of the rules and regulations that dictate how and where drones can be flown. Anyone who breaks the rules could be issued a fine or have their license to fly taken away.
You can find more information on the rules for flying drones in Canada by clicking here.
You can also find Canadian Aviation Regulations by clicking here.
