Select Board Unanimously Approves NBC 10 Drone Flight Over Battle Green for 250th Rehearsal

LEXINGTON — April 2, 2025 — Lexington Select Board unanimously approved a one-time drone flight over the battle green for NBC 10 News. The board voted 5-0 Wednesday to allow NBC 10 assistant news director Nate Eisner to fly a Part 107-certified drone over the historic site on April 5, 2025, from approximately 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., during the Lexington Minutemen's dress rehearsal for the 250th anniversary Battle of Lexington reenactment, with a rain date of April 6. Lexington's battle green use regulations categorically prohibit drone flights, making this a select-board-level exception tied explicitly to NBC 10's role as the event's designated media partner. Vice Chair Jill Hay emphasized the approval "is not something that is opening a door for future requests." The board also discussed positions on Article 34, a Village Overlay zoning amendment, but took no formal vote; member Joe Pato flagged a potential ambiguity in the setback provision's language that planning staff are reviewing, and three of five members said they wanted to review materials before committing to a position ahead of the April 7 meeting.