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

Verified

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 unlawfully flying a drone too close to endangered killer whales in 2021.
This incident marks the first time Canada has issued a fine for illegal drone use to film killer whales, reinforcing regulations against disturbing marine mammals.
The company had previously been denied a permit to film the protected species but continued using drones, and is now prohibited from using any footage captured during the event.

See a mistake? Contact us.

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.