The one noise not heard at the annual South by Southwest event in Texas will be the sound of a drone whizzing overhead now that the organization is banning the unmanned flying machines.
Police are promising to enforce the no-drone ban, and those who do send a drone up at the event that kicks off Friday should be prepared for a fine and potential arrest.
"The Austin Police Department will also be watching for drones in crowded and/or public areas where the drones could pose a risk to public safety. Drones flown in the City of Austin are subject to seizure by the Austin Police Department and the operators are subject to fines and/or arrest," stated SXSW organizers.
The ban will not likely be good news for the tech minded attending the event, and drone makers eager to show off their drone innovations, including Chaotic Moon Studios. The company had hoped to fly the "Tyrone," a drone that has the ability to spray silly string, be used to graffiti a wall and send out a three-foot flame.
But local police say public safety supersedes the need to see drone innovation in flight.
"Drone Tyrone is about pushing the utility aspects of drone and beacon technology," Chaotic Moon Studios wrote. "We wanted to prove that you can use these vehicles for more than just aerial photography."
"Believe me, in the state of Texas folks don't like drones," Austin police chief Art Acevedo told a local media outlet. "So if you operate one, we will get a call, you will be subject to confiscation or arrest."
As Tech Times has reported, federal regulators are considering changing aviation rules given the advent of drone development and use in residential and business areas. The Federal Aviation Administration debuted new rules in February that would limit commercial drone flights and restrict them in terms of altitude and speed.
South by Southwest is considered one of the more prestigious interactive events for techies and film lovers and those working in the tech and film industries. The organizers are supposedly going to have a "robot petting zoo" featuring very tiny, bird-size, drones in play.
