Kentucky regulates drone use for hunting and fishing

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKYT) - The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife is regulating where and why sportspersons can use drones under new measures that took effect earlier this month.

The state’s Interim Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Energy approved the regulations on Oct. 16. The rules prohibit people from using a drone to fish, hunt, or “take” wildlife, and to herd or harass wildlife.

Law Enforcement Division Assistant Director Major David Marques said he was glad to see the rules pass.

“[We’re] trying to strike that balance between limiting and restricting that unfair chase that they would be able to get with unlimited access with a drone for hunting, but we also don’t want to prevent the hunters from being able to go out and recover a mortally wounded animal,” Marques said.

According to the regulation, there are times when it’s acceptable for people to use a drone for sporting purposes. Those include locating and removing invasive carp and engaging in lawful wildlife damage control.

Offenders will face consequences if they violate any of the regulations. Those vary depending on the severity; however, hunters and anglers could be fined up to $1,000 and have their hunting or fishing privileges revoked.

It took the KDFW, law enforcement division, and wildlife commission over a year to develop the regulations. Marques said that due to the rapid advancement of technology, they drafted several variations before the rules were approved.

Marques said the intention was to provide direction with the new technology, not just for hunters, but also for outfitters and his own officers.

“[These are guidelines that] the hunters can use, the outfitters can use, the guides, and then also providing some guidance for our wardens in the field to kind of have a baseline of how they should go about conducting investigations and responding to complaints,” he said.

Under the regulation, anyone acting on behalf of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife is allowed to use drones to address human safety, law enforcement, research, management, and other needs.