Should you take your drone to ski resorts in France?
Drones are gaining in popularity for capturing extreme sports, but many ski resorts across the world are now imposing bans on drones.
You may have heard of the ‘dronie’. If not, it’s a more advanced version of the popular selfie, except instead of a smartphone you use a drone, and instead of a photo you take a video. More and more consumers are using drones, and extreme sports and drones go hand in hand. But if you’re thinking of taking a drone on your upcoming ski break in France, take a step back and do a bit of research first.
St Anton in Austria is pretty laidback about using them for recreational purposes, but the NSAA (National Ski Areas Association in the USA) requires that drone users obtain permission from the resort before using their drone – that’s 313 ski areas in the USA where you pretty much can’t use a drone.
What to do in France
When it comes to using a drone in France, leisure drones are put in the same category as model aircraft, which means that usage of them is very restrictive.
As a general rule of thumb:
• Don’t fly them over populated zones
• Don’t use them at night
• Don’t fly them above 150m
• Don’t fly them near ski lifts and other buildings
If you’ve managed to find a quiet and secluded spot during the day and away from buildings, you may be in luck. However, there may be extra restrictions depending on which resort you are visiting. In Tignes, for example, a permit must be obtained beforehand, and you also have to notify the local authority, police and city hall.
If you’re dead set on capturing your smooth moves with a drone, double check with the ski resort you will be visiting before you go. But if you don’t want the hassle and are happy with an alternative, try an action camera that you can have on you at all times. Or, get a friend to film you, which can be all part of the fun. If you’re looking for the best and the most popular on the market right now, take a look at the GoPro HERO4.
Image Credit: Don McCullough (flickr.com)