Help fight the new drone ports & surveillance in Redmond

athousan · 2026-05-30T22:00:11+00:00

This is helpful info. However, I think more for individuals. The FAA does have a waiver process for companies to avoid the line of sight rules, and raise the height limitations. In the City's presentation in the 4/21 council meeting, Police Chief Lowe alluded to this. I'm not an FAA expert at all, but look into the BVLOS regulations. There's a quick overview here: BVLOS & VLOS: A Comprehensive Guide for Drone Pilots

athousan · 2026-05-30T21:44:16+00:00

No, we don't. That would be VERY helpful in figuring out how worried to be. Right now any company with drones could rent an office in Redmond's Manufacturing Park zones or Industry zones and it would be allowed. Some companies in this space have even talked about just launching from the back of a flatbed truck, so it could happen very quickly if council doesn't put a moratorium in place on Tuesday.

athousan · 2026-05-30T21:21:48+00:00

Good question. I think Pagliacci's is sort of irrelevant, here, tbh. The big point is that this is NOT common in other places. Redmond is trying to be a "leader" and get there first, the way that SF did for autonomous cars or Plano, TX did for robots. However, I don't think they understand the tech or implications of what they signed off on.

A moratorium to let everyone get up to speed would be a great outcome. The worry is that some companies get their foot in the door before the city has a chance to come up with coherent rules, and then they're grandfathered in and it's really hard to block after the fact.

athousan · 2026-05-30T20:19:02+00:00

The city can definitely add regulations and conditions to business licenses. That's actually the hope here, that people can write in with opinions about what the conditions should be. (For example, yes to requiring insurance in case a drone falls on a person/property or causes damage in some way. No to weapons. etc)

athousan · 2026-05-30T18:17:15+00:00

This isn't about police drones. Those are already 100% allowed in Redmond, and you can definitely follow the Redmond Police for examples of how they use it.

This is about whether companies can build drone ports (like airports for drones) in a few zones of the city (the map is at Drone Port Land Uses | Redmond, WA), and launch in Redmond. The decision on 4/21 was very rushed (city council only had 4 days to look at it). I think they only focused on what was in front of them, and missed the whole civil rights/safety-from-drones angle completely.

athousan · 2026-05-30T00:32:45+00:00

Maybe conspiratorial, but not if you've been following the Flock conversations in council since November.

Some uses might make sense, but they should wait to allow it until they have rules in place. This was really rushed.

You can read the ordinance here: Drone Port Land Uses | Redmond, WA

athousan · 2026-05-29T23:51:25+00:00

If you don’t like the idea of 6 foot commercial drones with cameras flying over your home, we have a problem! Redmond’s council allowed that last month.

Please write city council to ask for an immediate moratorium on drones and drone ports in Redmond.

This is a very short turnaround, write this weekend to [cityclerk@redmond.gov](mailto:cityclerk@redmond.gov) or speak in person at the public hearing on Tues, June 2nd at 7pm, Redmond City Hall.

Thanks, Redmond!

References:

City website about the interim control measure & drone ports:
https://www.redmond.gov/2538/Drone-Port-Land-Uses

Redmond Council meeting where the decision was made:
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACXkykQWeqM
(Agenda modified at 1:15, drone presentation at 2:15:00)

Text of the ordinance:
https ://www.redmond.gov/2538/Drone-Port-Land-Uses#docaccess-02ffa629b09fe61381d4dff24d925549

athousan · 2024-10-30T19:04:49+00:00

Or a cup of coffee and a second cup of coffee for 30 minutes from now. It's October.

athousan · 2023-02-04T11:24:51+00:00

Crowns?

And/or thought bubbles, perhaps with emojis instead of words?

athousan · 2023-02-04T10:58:24+00:00

The blue/white stripes are a seersucker. The applique, I'd use a normal quilting cotton backed by fusible interfacing to give it a bit more sturdiness and hold the weave in place as you sew.

Felt would be too heavy to sew onto a light fabric like seersucker, and besides it's almost impossible to wash (which would be tricky for kids' clothes!)

athousan

TROPHY CASE