A. General. No person shall operate or fly any aircraft, other than a helicopter, over any portion of the area embraced within the limits of the city of Cle Elum at such an altitude as to endanger human life or safety; and in no event shall such craft, other than a helicopter, be operated or flown over any portion of the city at an altitude lower than two thousand ninety-five feet above sea level except when embarking from or alighting upon a regularly established landing place or flying field. This chapter shall not address operation of any unmanned aircraft. “Unmanned aircraft” shall be defined as aircraft which are operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft. The term “unmanned aircraft” includes drones and model rockets fueled by the common A, B, C and D solid fuel engines. The term “unmanned aircraft” does not include (1) a glider or hand-tossed small, unmanned aircraft that is not designed for and is incapable of sustained flight; (2) a small, unmanned aircraft that is capable of sustained flight and is controlled by means of a physical attachment, such as a string or wire.

B. Helicopters. Except in an emergency, or except as authorized by a helicopter landing permit issued pursuant to CEMC Section 8.52.050, no person shall operate a helicopter over any congested area of the city, or over any open-air assembly of persons, at an altitude lower than one thousand feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of two thousand feet of the helicopter; provided, notwithstanding the minimum altitude provided by this subsection, no person shall operate a helicopter below an altitude which would allow an emergency landing to be made without undue hazard to persons or property on the earth surface in the event of a power failure to the helicopter. Provided, further, the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to helicopters landing or taking off from a helicopter landing space established by resolution of the city council pursuant to CEMC Section 8.52.040.