Film Company Fined for Illegal Drone Use Near Killer Whales

Canadian law prohibits flying a drone within 1,000 feet of marine mammals.

Friday, August 23, 2024 at 10:08 AM ET

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Wildlife production company River Road Films pleaded guilty to the charges of unlawfully flying a drone too close to endangered killer whales in 2021. [Credit: Pixabay]

Key Takeaways:

A Vancouver film company, River Road Films, and its drone operator were fined a total of $30,000 for illegally flying a drone too close to endangered killer whales in 2021.
This marked Canada's first fine for unlawful drone use near killer whales, occurring despite the company having been previously denied a permit to film the protected species.
Canadian law prohibits drones within 1,000 feet of marine mammals to prevent disturbance, and the company is also restricted from using the illegally obtained footage.

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A Vancouver-based film company and its drone operator were fined $30,000 for unlawfully flying a drone too close to endangered killer whales in 2021.

Wildlife production company, River Road Films, pleaded guilty to the charges and were subsequently fined $25,000 while the drone pilot was fined $5,000. According to DroneDJ, the case marked the first time a fine was issued in Canada for the unlawful use of a drone to capture killer whale footage.

Amelia Walsh

Amelia Walsh is a private pilot who enjoys flying her family’s Columbia 350. She is based in Colorado and loves all things outdoors including skiing, hiking, and camping.