[Peetwo]

Sen Hanson drone rule (complimentary) education program cont/-

Via the ABC online:

Pauline Hanson says drone investigation by Civil Aviation Safety Authority does not worry her
By political reporter Henry Belot
Updated yesterday at 9:33pmThu 6 Jul 2017, 9:33pm

Related Story: Labor refers One Nation to Australian Electoral Commission

One Nation senator Pauline Hanson says she is not worried by a possible investigation into her use of a recreational drone, which has sparked a debate about aviation rules.

Key points:

• Pauline Hanson says she has "ticked all the boxes" and has not done anything wrong
  
• The Civil Aviation Safety Authority is considering whether any rules have been broken
  
• Fines for misusing drones range from $900 to $9,000 in more serious cases
  

The Queensland senator posted a video on Wednesday of her flying the drone from a balcony over a street in Townsville.

"Oh golly, as long as I keep it under 400 foot I'm right," the senator said in the video.

But what appears to have been a bit of fun has drawn the attention of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), which will now consider whether any rules were breached.

CASA spokesman Peter Gibson said there are strict rules about the use of drones and the authority would seek an explanation from Senator Hanson.

"It is too early to say if any safety rules may have been breached," Mr Gibson told the ABC.

"You must fly recreational drones more than 30 metres from people, not over crowds or groups of people, not cause a hazard to people, property or aircraft and stay under 400 feet in controlled airspace."

The rules around drones

Beginner or enthusiast, here's what you need to know about how to operate a drone safely and what laws you need to follow.

Senator Hanson insists she has done nothing wrong and is not worried about the possibility of a fine ranging from $900 to $9,000 in more serious cases.

"Throw the cuffs on me, take me away, drag me away, I've been there done that, it's nothing new for me," Senator Hanson told Sydney radio station 2GB.

"I don't need a fine, I don't want a fine.

"It was not anywhere near a public place, it was not over a public field, it was not within 30 metres of anyone, it was over gravel, there was no danger to anyone, it was not near an airport.

"As far as I'm concerned I've ticked all the boxes."

In the video, Senator Hanson said the drone was owned by her chief of staff, James Ashby.

Drone users call for Hanson to be fined if she erred

CASA has a history of issuing fines to those who breach aviation rules with recreational drones.

In April last year, a man was fined $900 after he crashed his drone during a Last Post ceremony at the Australian War Memorial.

 
Photo: One Nation leader Pauline Hanson could face a fine of up to $9,000 if CASA finds she breached aviation rules. (ABC News: Marco Catalano)      
 
The drone landed near the memorial's director Brendan Nelson, who handed it to security.

The Australian Certified UAV Operators group, which represents drone users who have CASA approval, said the senator should be fined if she did breach the rules.

"In such circumstances, it is reasonable to expect that public safety agencies like CASA will appreciate a higher level of public interest in the outcome of such investigations," the group's president Joe Urli said.

"The individual concerned is a member of the Senate — the same house that is presently conducting a formal inquiry into regulations on the operation of remotely piloted aircraft system."

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[url=https://twitter.com/PaulineHansonOz] Pauline Hanson

✔ @PaulineHansonOz
THE DRONE! | Pauline Hanson takes a drone for a spin before heading off to meet @PMOnAir for Paul Murray Live in #TOWNSVILLE #auspol #qldpol
6:36 PM - 5 Jul 2017

Could CASA possibly have cooked up a better way to reach out and publicly educate, the average recreational drone user, on the rules a sub 2kg drone operator must adhere to? - I think not and a choccy frog for Pauline...

 MTF...P2