I want to reach out to the town of Fountain Hills to provide facilities for quadcopter (drone) enthusiasts.

I recently got a quadcopter and have been looking for legal places to fly it. When I bought it, I thought I could use areas of the parks in Fountain Hills as long as I stayed away from people and property. But no, the park ordinances state “no drones.”

I understand there have been some incidents of drone users giving the rest of the enthusiasts a bad reputation. I got my drone registered with the FAA. I got $2.5 million insurance through the AMA. I have trained in R/C aircraft flight in the past. I am left with flying in my backyard, which is a little limiting.

I look to the Town Council to make available facilities for enthusiasts like myself that, through many channels, pay taxes that help the town survive. Facilities have been provided for dog enthusiasts, ball sport enthusiasts, joggers, walkers, cyclists, disc golf enthusiasts, etc.

By providing facilities, it will help keep the growing number of drone enthusiasts from flying around other people’s property and generally causing a hazard in places where they should not fly. Along with the facility, provide information on the safe operation and regulations (such as FAA) that need to be followed.

Providing designated areas would also help curtail the invasion on people’s privacy by people using drones around other people’s property.

A message to those that might be against drones: Don’t let the actions of a thoughtless few adversely affect the majority of the drone enthusiasts.

Thoughtlessness is not isolated to drone users, but also people that let the dogs bark late at night, motorcyclists that create a lot of noise, cyclists that don’t stop at junctions, disc golfers that hit people, etc.