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Fireworks organizers urge people not to fly drones nearby

20 Comments

With fireworks festivals occurring almost every weekend in Japan throughout the summer, organizers of these events are urging owners of drones not to fly them anywhere the displays.

The Sumida River Fireworks festival takes place in Tokyo on Saturday night with more than 20,000 fireworks scheduled to be let off. Last year, an estimated 1 million people lined the banks of the Sumida River.

Organizers and police officials are concerned at what might happen if a drone is hit by fireworks or just gets blown off course by wind and crashes into spectators.

The organizing committee for the Sumida fireworks display said they are asking people to refrain from using drones on their website and by handing out flyers, NHK reported Friday.

Other major fireworks festivals scheduled for the Kanto region are the Edogawa Fireworks Festival (Aug 1), Kanagawa Shimbun Fireworks Competition (Aug 4), Tokyo Bay Fireworks Festival (Aug 8) and Jingumae Fireworks Festival (Aug 11).

Drones have already been banned at various cultural festivals and events. In May, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government banned drones in 81 public parks and gardens by including them in an ordinance that prohibits the use of remote-controlled aircraft in parks and gardens.

Last month, legislation was enacted in the Diet to ban the flying of drones near the imperial palace, the Diet, the prime minister's office, Supreme Court, foreign embassies and other facilities. Air space within 300 meters of such buildings is now considered a no-fly zone.

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20 Comments
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Organisers clearly want to keep the area where the fireworks will explode clear. Is that really such a problem?

There are always 'tachi-iri-kinshi' zones around the launching spots, this guidance just extends that concept to the air.

And yes, if you go to any busy outdoor event in Tokyo where drones aren't strictly banned, you will probably find a least one person flying one over the crowd.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

I am curious how many people actually have drones in Japan...or in the Kanto Region.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It should require a special license to fly remote control aircraft at night outside your own yard anyway.

Drone? No. Its an R/C aircraft!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Does common sense not exist in our life anymore?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Huh? weren't drones banned a while back?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I've never seen the attraction in fireworks. I'd probably rather watch drones flying.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

I've never seen the attraction in fireworks.

I liked them as a kid. Not a fan as an adult. But with two young kids, I end up having to go to see Fireworks way more than I'd like to anyways.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I expect we'll see something like this at a fireworks show in the near future. https://youtu.be/S0GBeOnxA4M?t=27s

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Government urges people not to commit suicide is next step 's recommendation ?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Aiming fireworks at drones - could be the new sport - but for the danger when they fall!!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

just go to any of the main fireworks displays in Japan and the crowds will kill the experience before its even began. I take my kids to see the smaller rural displays, while theres still crowds nothing nearly the stress levels of in the cities.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Here in N.Y.C.people are going nuts with these things,flying well over 1.000 ft and very dangerous to aircraft and often times have cameras so privacy is a big issue as well.just yesterday drone flying nitwits were creating a hazard to fire fighting aircraft dropping water onto a forest fire! ENOUGH, Already!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Deer Tail, Colorado actually VOTED whether or not people with a hunting license should be allowed to shoot down drones flying within their town limits!! (Add THAT to the thrill of fireworks and drones!) ((spoiler alert....nah, read the article!)

http://www.zdnet.com/article/colorado-town-bans-shooting-down-drones/

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Since they banned these annoying machines near sensitive areas, they should take the next common sense step and realize that we all have a right to privacy and safety and they should be banned in all urban areas.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Drones should only be used in private property or over the sea. But not in parks or in the city. They could fall and injury or kill someone, they could be used with weapons to kill people and most of them come with cameras to invade our privacy.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Many drone enthusiasts will try to get close to the fireworks to take shots. They think that its a great oportunity. But just imagine one rocket hitting the drone and changing direction and the drone falling over a kids head. HORRIBLE

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I'm more concerned that a firework will hit a drone and go into the crowd.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Pure government-driven paranoia. Most people in Japan have never even seen a drone . . . let alone own one. There is an appalling propensity for people in Japan to unquestionably accept anything the government tells them including, in this case, the greatly exaggerated dangers of drones.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

Drones are dangerous. And should be used with rules.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

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