By now, we are all aware of the on-going record flooding in Hailey, Bellevue, and surrounding areas. While we understand the desire to collect photos of the flooding, we want to remind you about the restrictions regarding the usage of drones around the airport.

The SUN Air Traffic Control no longer approves local drone operations in SUN airspace.  All UAS operators must register their drone with the FAA and seek individual approval for operations in the vicinity of SUN through the FAA’s central UAS operations center.  We are aware of several people operating undisclosed, or requesting to operate, drones in close proximity to the airport over the flooded areas between Hailey and Bellevue. Operating drones within this 5-mile area without coordination with the FAA poses a significant safety issue for aircraft operators and may interfere with local first responder operations in the area – especially in the constrained environment around our airport. Per Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, the FAA has sole responsibility of coordinating drone operations in our airspace with drone operators – neither airport management, the Air Traffic Control Tower, Blaine County, or the City of Hailey, has this authority. Failure to coordinate with the FAA will result in contact by local law enforcement and may include contact by the FAA.

For further information about drone operations around SUN, please visit our website at: https://iflysun.com/drones/.

Please be mindful of your location and applicable regulations while flying drones within the vicinity of the airport to help us maintain a safe operating environment. Thanks for your cooperation.