South Elgin Man Fighting $50 Ticket For Violating Village Drone Rules
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A South Elgin man has hired an attorney to fight the citation he received for flying his drone over a village park on Wednesday.
Keith Kmieciak said he started flying drones three years ago as a hobby, after being diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer.
"I love to shoot rock formations. I love to shoot sunrises. I love to shoot sunsets," he said.
Kmieciak said he finds the South Elgin ordinance forbidding the flying of drones over village parks without a permit too restrictive, and expressed his displeasure at a village board meeting this week.
"The village, for some reason, got a bug that they wanted to enforce privacy," he said.
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He claimed the village officials threatened to report him to the Federal Aviation Administration for violating federal regulations on drone use.
"I said 'That's fine. Tomorrow morning, Wednesday, at 9 a.m., I will be at Jim Hansen Park, and I will be flying my drone, and if you want to turn me into the FAA for something that is totally legal, go ahead," he said.
Police issued Kmieciak a $50 ticket on Wednesday, when he flew his drone over the park as promised. He said he will have his attorney fight the citation.
The village attorney told the Daily Herald the village has the right to require permits to fly drones over parks.
