Removing a drone from high-voltage power lines above a group of houseboats is no easy task.
That much was clear on Saturday, when a Seattle City Light crew had to re-route electricity and rent a special carriage before ultimately taking down a drone that was stuck in the air for the past week 120 feet above Lake Union’s Mallard Cove.
The Seattle Times reported how the drone created a loud buzzing sound for the past several days and that the removal cost Seattle City Light upwards of $35,000.
It’s still unclear who flew the drone. Seattle City Light, which live-tweeted the removal, emphasized that this was a “No Fly Zone.”
Crew has attached the basket they'll use to retrieve the drone stuck on a power line over Lake Union. pic.twitter.com/SDzYSaixAw
— Seattle City Light (@SEACityLight) May 30, 2015
Drone recovered. If you have one, be safe, don't fly it near power lines. #NoFlyZone pic.twitter.com/BFET41tOcw
— Seattle City Light (@SEACityLight) May 30, 2015
KING5 noted that the Seattle Police Department now has the drone and is investigating the incident.
In its “model aircraft operations” guidelines, the FAA requires those flying drones for recreational purposes to keep their devices below 400 feet and away from “surrounding obstacles.”
However, as drones become more popular — experts predict the global market for drones will climb to at least $1 billion by 2018 — many wonder if recreational laws should tighten up, particularly with incidents like the man who crashed his drone at the White House or this week’s power line problem.
Meanwhile, the FAA is examining its existing commercial drone laws, too, particularly as companies like Amazon and Google develop drone technologies.
