LEWES, Del.- A backpack-powered aircraft buzzing over Lewes beaches this summer has the Parks and Recreation Commission drafting new rules.
Commission members discussed Monday an “ultralight” aircraft—essentially a backpack-powered kite—that flew over Savannah Beach and landed nearby recently.
“I was on my feet, other people were on their feet… we didn’t know if it was landing or crashing,” said one commission member. Police said they could not enforce any rules because none exist.
Now, a proposed ordinance, modeled after a similar Rehoboth Beach rule, would make it illegal to take off or land manned aircraft on city beaches except in emergencies or for official government or medical transport operations.
Drones were also part of the discussion. Commissioners called them “intrusive” and “loud,” but agreed the legal landscape is more complex. Any drone-specific rules would likely be considered separately later.
Next steps include cleaning up the draft language and sending it to Lewes city council and the ordinance review committee, with a potential vote expected in December.