NOISE

Posted on by bonythonagainstdrones1

Lets face it. We have noise all around us, at varying levels.  Noise pollution worsens as cities grow but the convenience of drone delivery will come with a price.  Noise pollution is not only annoying – it is harmful to our health. Exposure to noise has been linked to heart disease, lower academic performance and sleep problems.

The high-pitched frequency of drones is unique and appears to be far more penetrating than car or general road noise.  This is supported in a recent document by NASA research (https://qz.com/1033675/a-nasa-study-found-drones-sound-more-annoying-to-people-than-cars-or-trucks-and-flying-them-higher-wont-help/) where it was found that the buzz of a drone is more annoying to people that the rumble of cars and trucks.  This is a warning sign that the ambitions of commercial companies to deliver their goods by drone could reshape the soundscape of cities and suburbs for theworse.  

Its clear that our homes are not designed to shield from noise above us.  We also should be willing and eager to get out of our homes, move about, exercise and take in the sights and sounds around our lovely bush capital without the threat of drones in constant flight above our heads.

For Bonython residents it is well documented that noise is the number one issue from the drones.  The key factors with the noise include:

  • the drones are large and very noisy;
  • they make a high-pitched whining sound and operate from early morning to evening;
  • you can hear them from a long way off, both coming and leaving;
  • the drones travel at 120 kph;
  • when they do a delivery drop they hover over the site and it sounds like an extremely loud, squealing vacuum cleaner;
  • they can be heard from inside closed houses, even those with double-glazing;
  • it is worse in summer when people have their houses open;
  • noise has been measured from a resident’s fence line at 80 decibels while a delivery is being made yet  the EPA decibel limit for a residential area on the weekend is 35 decibels;
  • the bird life throughout the local nature park and around the suburb has significantly decreased since the drones have been operating;
  • It is disturbing the peace and quiet of the suburb as well as that of the nature park;
  • outdoor entertaining, gardening, walking around the suburb and Stranger Pond was once peaceful but there is now the constant sound of drones flying on service days.
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