Home / Disasters and Accidents / Coogee Beach Drone Ban Lifted for Shark Spotting
Coogee Beach Drone Ban Lifted for Shark Spotting
14 Jun
Summary
- Drone ban temporarily lifted at Coogee Beach for shark detection.
- Surf Lifesaving NSW will use drones after a recent shark attack.
- Government funding supports drone training and new equipment.
Drone flights are temporarily permitted at Coogee Beach, which typically prohibits such activities due to its location within commercial airline flight paths. This exemption was granted by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) on Sunday in direct response to a recent dangerous shark attack.
The Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty, expressed the government's commitment to integrating drone technology for beach safety. Discussions are underway with Surf Lifesaving New South Wales to establish a permanent exemption.
Surf Lifesaving NSW will utilize the drones for shark scanning, a measure implemented after a terrifying incident left a woman critically injured. The government is supporting this effort through funding for specialized drone pilot training and the purchase of two new drones.
