LUDLOW, Vt. – Drones – those little remote-controlled helicopters with the all-seeing camera – are ideal for solving the mystery of a lost hiker. But finding out what’s behind a neighbor’s fence or, God forbid, your bedroom window, is off limits, according to Gene Jakominich of Ludlow, featured speaker at the Ludlow Rotary Club’s (LRC) Tuesday, July 19, 2022 meeting.
He described the capabilities of drones, detailing how the photographs taken by these flying devices were able to define details that ordinary cameras can’t.

A retired U.S. Navy Operations Specialist and veteran of the First Gulf War, Jakominich says drones are useful for disaster relief. But, they must never take off from private property without permission from the property owner. In discussing the flight management of drones, Jakominich indicated that most drone users followed basic rules as to elevation and area covered during drone operations.

Two factors he stressed concerned drone flight over private property. He cited the current legal status of a drone as being similar to that of a commercial aircraft, saying, “Don’t shoot it down. That’s a federal crime. Call the police instead,” since this would be considered the same as attacking conventional aircraft based on the current laws.

He also noted that most users will not take photos of private property without first getting the consent of the owner.

Jim Rumrill, LRC President, introduced three recently graduated students from area high schools. All three were recent recipients of scholarship awards from the LRC. Each of the students described their continuing plan of studies in college.