Officials ban drones and other aircraft from Oroville Dam airspace

The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a temporary ban on flights around the Oroville Dam to allow emergency aircraft to operate safely.

“We implemented temporary flight restrictions that prohibit aircraft operations from the ground up to 4,500 feet altitude within a trapezoidal area around the dam,” said Ian Gregor, a spokesman for the FAA in Los Angeles.

The flight restriction includes recreational drones, according to the California Department of Water Resources. The restriction is scheduled to end May 17.

The ban comes as crews continue to conduct aerial surveys of the erosion on the emergency spillway.

Source:  http://www.latimes.com