Brooklyn Drones Opens, Inviting You To Fly The Friendly Skies
The drones have arrived in Gowanus.
They’re not flying above 4th Avenue — rather, they are perched in a sleek, inviting new store ready for you see them up close and personal.
Brooklyn Drones (315 4th Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets) opened last Saturday — and according to owner Roger Kapsalis — the store is the only exclusive retailer and educator of drones in all of New York City. The space was previously occupied by Two Moon Art House & Cafe, which closed back in November 2014.
“At 44, I finally found a hobby that I love,” says Kapsalis, who had been in the financial world for almost 25 years. His hobby has turned into not only a passion, but an opportunity to become a voice in the community that flies drones / UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles).
“I’m happy to take the lead and be one of those people,” says the owner. “There was a period of time when flying drones was like the ‘Wild West.’ That wasn’t a good thing for helping the public to feel safe.”
Kapsalis — who grew up and still lives in Bay Ridge — wanted to open the store in the Gowanus neighborhood. “Southern Brooklyn is a lot friendlier when it comes to flying drones,” he says. “And 4th Avenue really is the bridge between Northern and Southern Brooklyn. Gowanus is tech- and business-friendly, so that connection is important, too.” The owner has signed a 10-year lease, so he plans to dig in his heels.
The place has the feel of an Apple Store if it sold drones — clean, bright, and spare — with plenty of space to examine the variety of drone models and high-resolution cameras and aerial photography equipment. “Part of my love for all of this is aerial photography,” says Kapsalis.
The images captured by drones can be breathtaking. Our sister site, Bensonhurst Bean, recently published footage of a Phantom 3 drone surveying Calvert Vaux Park and other areas in Southern Brooklyn.
Brooklyn Drones employee Simon Lees explains details about the extreme high-resolution cameras that provide the incredible photography captured by flying robots. And with the glasses that one can wear while the drone is flying, one can see exactly what the drone’s camera can see. “You really feel like you’re flying,” says Lees. “You feel like you’re an eagle in the sky.”
Kapsalis is the founder of the New York Chapter of the UAVSA (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems Association), an organization that is focused on providing resources and education for the UAV/Drone community. “We want to provide education of robotics for kids between K-12,” he says. “This can be integrated with STEM programs, community colleges. And this hobby will be able to be used for jobs down the road.”
But with drones also comes controversy.
Well-publicized incidents have caused concern over safety and privacy. Last Fall, a drone crashed into the stands during the U.S. Open in Queens. Daniel Verley was flying a drone in the area when he lost control. There were no injuries in the incident.
Last August, a real estate architect was flying a drone that was taking photos in Brooklyn Heights, alarming residents and workers when it was caught aimed at the windows of high rise buildings in the area.
In a very local story, two red-tailed hawks attacked an illegally flying drone last November in Prospect Park. “They [the hawks] see a drone in the air, they take it as a competitive predator, like another hawk that’s coming into their territory,” says Rob Bate, President of the Brooklyn Bird Club. “And [the drone] doesn’t behave right and it doesn’t go away and they get more excited. And they were going after it.”
“The FAA is regulating the hobby. It serves as a deterrent for the few who like to push the limits and are not responsible,” explains Kapsalis. “I put registration on my vehicles. It’s a good way to ‘curb the nonsense’ — if someone crashes their vehicle, it provides a way to know who it belongs to.”
There are regulations out there, such as not being able to fly a drone higher than 400 feet, or within five miles of an airport.
“But the rules can be confusing. And not everyone is aware. We’re here to help get you registered, to understand the rules, and to provide advice,” says Kapsalis. “It’s not just about making a purchase here.”
Kapsalis connects with the UAV community by his involvement in NYCDUG (New York City Drone Use Group). “We’re working on trying to get permits for usage in parks. We feel we should be able to use a field for four hours — we really want to keep it orderly.” According to the Prospect Alliance and the City Department of Parks, flying unmanned aircraft is illegal in all Brooklyn parks except Calvert Vaux Park and Marine Park.
Brooklyn Drones will also coordinate trips with enthusiasts. “I’d like to take a group of 20 people up to a private property in the Catskills. It’s a great place to fly.”
Kapsalis is hoping to feature customers’ aerial photography on the store’s walls. “We also want to make this a gallery,” he says.
Kaspalis hopes the store will open up more conversation about UAV/Drones. “We want to make sure people know the benefits. Let’s have that conversation. I want to make the public feel safe.”
Brooklyn Drones (315 4th Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets) is open Tuesdays-Saturdays, 10am-7pm, Sundays, 11am-5pm, and closed Mondays. You can reach them at 888-828-4255 or info@brooklyndrones.nyc.