The Broome County Department of Aviation will hold a forum on unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, at 7 p.m. Jan. 27 in the Decker Room of the Jeffrey P. Kraham Broome County Public Library.

The informational session is designed for anyone who owns or plans to own and operate a drone in Broome County. It will focus on current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules and possible new regulations regarding drones, along with general guidelines for operating UAVs near airports.

“We know that more and more people are flying drones as a hobby in our community,” Broome County Executive Debbie Preston said. “This informational session is not to discourage anyone from enjoying the hobby, it’s to make sure everyone is doing so safely and within the guidelines of the FAA.”

Aviation Commissioner David Hickling said operating a drone in the same airspace as a private or commercial aircraft could create “a potential safety risk.”

“We just want to educate the public on how we can make sure everyone, from drone operator to commercial airline passenger, can enjoy the friendly skies of Broome County,” he said.

(WBNG Binghamton) Broome County has started the discussion about the dangers of flying Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, more commonly known as drones.

According to the County executive’s office, there are more than 50 registered drone owners in Broome County.

With the growing number of drones, county officials want to make sure they don’t fly into the wrong places like airports or no fly zones.

“There hasn’t been anything here in Broome County but we want to make sure there isn’t either,” said Broome County Executive Debbie Preston (R).

Drone owner Mike Harris says he uses drones for farming, as well as for fun. He says learning the rules and regulations of flying drones can take some time.

“I think that being proactive in understanding how to fly it and what the potential problems if it goes where it shouldn’t go are really important,” said Harris.

The Broome County Department of Aviation would like to invite all parties interested in learning about the safety concerns, operations and Federal guidelines to a free forum at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27 in the Decker Room at the Jeffrey P. Kraham Broome County Public Library. It’s located at 185 Court St. in Binghamton.