Los Alamitos Municipal Code Ch. 8.52 Unmanned Aircraft Systems

The purpose of this chapter is to provide regulations which will maintain the quality of life to residents, businesses, and visitors, through education and enforcement of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operation within the city limits.

(Ord. 2017-11 § 1, 2017)

For the purpose of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings set forth below, unless another or different meaning is clearly intended from the context in which the phrase or words are used.

"Drone"

refers to any UAS.

"FAA"

means the Federal Aviation Administration.

"Person"

means any individual, partnership, corporation, or joint venture, including those set forth in Title 1, Chapter 1.24 of the Los Alamitos Municipal Code.

"Public UAS"

means a UAS that is used or operated on behalf of any government agency that meets the qualifications as defined in Section 40102 of Title 49 of the United States Code to operate a public aircraft.

"Unmanned aircraft system (UAS)"

shall mean an aircraft, without a human pilot on board, that is controlled from an operator on the ground, to include, but not be limited to, any communication links and components that control the UA, and operates without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft.

"Visual line of sight"

means that the operator has an unobstructed view of the UAS. The operator must use his or her own natural vision (which includes vision corrected by standard eyeglasses or contact lenses) to observe the UAS. People other than the operator may not be used in lieu of the operator for maintaining visual line of sight. The use of vision-enhancing devices, such as binoculars, night vision goggles, powered vision magnifying devices, and goggles or other devices designed to provide a "first-person view" from the UAS do not constitute visual line of sight of the operator.

(Ord. 2017-11 § 1, 2017)

A. No person shall takeoff or land a UAS outside of the person's visual line of sight.

B. No person shall takeoff or land a UAS within 25 feet of another individual, except the operator or the operator's designee.

C. No person shall takeoff or land a UAS on private property without the consent of the property owner.

D. No person shall takeoff or land a UAS during permitted public events unless granted written or electronic permission by the city.

E. No person shall takeoff or land a UAS within 1,500 horizontal feet of any aircraft.

F. No person shall takeoff or land a UAS that has any type of weapon attached to it.

(Ord. 2017-11 § 1, 2017)

No person shall takeoff or land a UAS in a reckless manner so as to create a substantial risk of serious physical injury to any person or substantial risk of damage to the property of another.

(Ord. 2017-11 § 1, 2017)

A. No person shall takeoff or land a UAS within 500 feet of any emergency vehicle that is operating with lights and/or sirens.

B. No person shall takeoff or land a UAS within 500 feet of any active law enforcement or emergency response incident.

C. No person shall takeoff or land a UAS in violation of any temporary flight restriction or notice to airmen issued by the FAA.

D. No person shall takeoff or land a UAS within 100 feet of a school facility without prior notification and authorization of school officials.

E. No person shall takeoff or land a UAS within 500 feet of any county or city owned jails, holding facilities, law enforcement facility, or within 100 feet of any designated publicly owned building chosen by the city.

(Ord. 2017-11 § 1, 2017)

A. This chapter shall not apply to any publicly owned UAS.

B. This chapter shall not apply to any UAS weighing less than 0.55 pounds.

(Ord. 2017-11 § 1, 2017)

A. Any violation of the provisions of this chapter shall be a misdemeanor.

B. All violations of the Code of Federal Regulations defined in Title 14 C.F.R. Part 101 and Title 14 C.F.R. Part 107 will be reported to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

(Ord. 2017-11 § 1, 2017)