Drone sought to cover Belchertown events
By Jim Russell
The operators of the town’s public access television station hope to deploy a drone in future to cover certain community events by providing viewers an aerial view.
At Monday’s selectmen meeting, Peg and Lew Louraine, co-managers of Belchertown Community TV, told the board an approximately one square foot remote-controlled drone would cost $1,100 and could reach a 2,000 feet maximum altitude.
They said the money would be funded via the BCTV stipend they receive from Charter Communications, the town’s cable television and high-speed Internet provider.
The Louraines said the apparatus would only be
used sparingly – such as the annual Belchertown Fair – with prior approval of event organizers, and they would notify police ahead of time, should townsfolk call them wondering what is flying over head.
Selectmen were receptive to the idea but said they first want to vet the proposal with town counsel, and their insurance carrier.
The board unanimously voted to direct the town administrator to discuss it with counsel and the insurance company and report findings to selectmen.
Lew Louraine said BCTV hopes to purchase a Phantom 3 model drone from DJI. He invited the community to review that at DJI.com.
He said training would be completed before anyone operated it.
“I want all my guys to be trained to fly this,” Louraine said. “You can’t fly it in a public space unless you are trained.”
His wife, Peg, said the drone would be used for “a relatively small number of events through the year, which are appropriate.”
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/04/belchertown_public_access_tele.html
