Beach privacy, dam security spur drone ban at Wappapello Lake

The use of drones is not allowed at Wappapello Lake or any of the surrounding public lands that fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the project reminded residents this week.

Drones are a relatively new problem, and enforcement of these regulations has become an issue in recent weeks, according to park ranger Dan Camden.

“It’s just natural that people want to bring them to this beautiful place,” Camden said. “But we hope people understand, because we have public parks and a federal dam.”

The ban on drones is because of privacy and safety issues, according to Camden.

“These drones typically have cameras on them and could fly over beach or campground areas,” he said, adding the project also has to be concerned about the possibility of injury or property damage if the drones crash.

Incidents also have been documented in which drones were used to gather information on high-value targets, including critical infrastructure, according to the Corps.

Drones, which must be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration, fall under existing rules pertaining to aircraft, Camden said. The Wappapello project office began looking at its regulations for guidance about a year and a half ago, and it feels its interpretation is in line with that of other federal lands.

Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Paragraph 327.4, prohibits the use of aircraft on project land at any location except those designated by the project, Camden said. The Wappapello project does not have any areas where use of an aircraft is permitted, he said.

Prohibited areas include the lake, any campground overseen by the Corps and any property leased to another person by the Corps.

It may be possible to get permission to use drones on Corps property, but it likely would require district approval, Camden said.

Pertinent address:

Wappappello Lake, Wappappello, Mo.