Board bans drones on fairgrounds

The Orange County Fair Board voted unanimously Thursday to ban the use of drones and other remote-controlled airborne devices from being used at the fairgrounds.

It also banned the use of remote-controlled cars and similar ground vehicles.

Fair officials were driven to take a harder look at solidifying a policy after the Tet Festival in February 2014. During the festival, which was held at the fairgrounds, officially known as the OC Fair & Event Center, an unauthorized drone fell from the sky and hit a child. Though the child was not seriously injured, she was taken to a hospital.

Fair officials said Thursday that they will make exceptions for drone use on a case-by-case basis, provided that users seek written permission beforehand. The applicant would need to provide a flight plan and other details to staff in advance.

A Costa Mesa church was recently granted permission to use a drone to film its Easter service at the fairgrounds. The church received permission only after providing certain information, Chief Financial Officer Sharon Augenstein told the fair board.

Officials said possessing or operating the banned devices without permission will result in their confiscation and/or “a response from law enforcement authority.”

Fairgrounds CEO Kathy Kramer also informed the board that selfie sticks — expandable rods that enable camera users to take pictures of themselves from a distance — will also be banned during the summer fair.

“As you can imagine, [the sticks] can cause safety issues,” Kramer said. “You can whack your neighbor with them. They can create unsafe conditions on the rides.”