Public Safety Small Drone Playbook

[theDRONEranger]

Found this on the FAA www while just wandering:

https://www.faa.gov/uas/public_safety_gov/public_safety_toolkit/media/Public_Safety_Drone_Playbook.pdf

just an FYI

 

[Mavic Mac]

Found this on the FAA www while just wandering:

https://www.faa.gov/uas/public_safety_gov/public_safety_toolkit/media/Public_Safety_Drone_Playbook.pdf

just an FYI

It is too bad the FAA doesn't supply that when they issue the drone registration. It would (if people took the time to read it) eliminate a lot of problems.

 

[Mavic Air Head]

Great rundown of answers for a lot of questions asked here by Mavic Pilots about what law enforcement can and can't do and why. Thanks for posting this, great, brief resource for anyone serious about compliance.

 

[Smokieflies]

Thanks for sharing. Agree FAA or dealers in the USA should supply these with drone registration or purchase.

 

[Redleg]

While I believe this to be a great resource for law enforcement, there’s nothing in here that isn’t covered by the rules for recreational use and the Part 107 regulations. On that note, I think you’ll find that the majority of police officers who encounter drone pilots are completely ignorant of the federal/state/local laws regarding drones, which is why the FAA created this “playbook” in the first place.

I’m a former police officer and while drones really weren’t a “thing” when I left police work (in 2003), cops encountering drones in my neck of the woods isn’t something which happens often. Most of these police officers will operate on either the “I don’t know what to do, so I won’t do anything” or “I don’t know what to do but we have to do something” end of the spectrum. Unfortunately, we hear far too many stories about the latter and police officers are unlawfully seizing drones.

The laws in my state basically say that you can’t operate a drone around “critical infrastructure” or for the purposes of viewing/photographing areas where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as looking through the windows of someone’s residence. To my knowledge, there are zero local drone ordinances in my area. I would wager that if I asked 20 random police officers from my old agency, maybe one would be able to tell me what the laws regarding the operation of drones are at any level of jurisdiction.

If you’ll read through this “playbook,” you’ll notice that it’s mostly about asking questions and documenting incidents to report to the FAA. The Fourth Amendment says that law enforcement can’t take your stuff unless they have probable cause to believe a law has been broken. Since local cops don’t have jurisdiction where federal laws are concerned, they can’t seize your drone unless you’re breaking a state or local law.

Flying a drone isn’t illegal, except for when it is, and it’s the responsibility of law enforcement to know the difference; just like it’s your responsibility as the pilot to know what the laws are wherever you’re flying.

 

[theDRONEranger]

While I believe this to be a great resource for law enforcement, there’s nothing in here that isn’t covered by the rules for recreational use and the Part 107 regulations. On that note, I think you’ll find that the majority of police officers who encounter drone pilots are completely ignorant of the federal/state/local laws regarding drones, which is why the FAA created this “playbook” in the first place.

I’m a former police officer and while drones really weren’t a “thing” when I left police work (in 2003), cops encountering drones in my neck of the woods isn’t something which happens often. Most of these police officers will operate on either the “I don’t know what to do, so I won’t do anything” or “I don’t know what to do but we have to do something” end of the spectrum. Unfortunately, we hear far too many stories about the latter and police officers are unlawfully seizing drones.

The laws in my state basically say that you can’t operate a drone around “critical infrastructure” or for the purposes of viewing/photographing areas where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as looking through the windows of someone’s residence. To my knowledge, there are zero local drone ordinances in my area. I would wager that if I asked 20 random police officers from my old agency, maybe one would be able to tell me what the laws regarding the operation of drones are at any level of jurisdiction.

If you’ll read through this “playbook,” you’ll notice that it’s mostly about asking questions and documenting incidents to report to the FAA. The Fourth Amendment says that law enforcement can’t take your stuff unless they have probable cause to believe a law has been broken. Since local cops don’t have jurisdiction where federal laws are concerned, they can’t seize your drone unless you’re breaking a state or local law.

Flying a drone isn’t illegal, except for when it is, and it’s the responsibility of law enforcement to know the difference; just like it’s your responsibility as the pilot to know what the laws are wherever you’re flying.

Appreciate what you did 16 years ago, thank you. This was presented strictly as an FYI on some areas to be aware of if approached by the boys in blue. If this helps but one drone pilot to become better acquainted with the local ordinances, then that is a good thing.
Thank you for your service. Field Artillery! That was no fun, I imagine! I spent my 24 as a cop in the USAF. Some good assignments, some not so good, some classified. Then I did another 20 working for the CO DOC. Finally, retired, retired!!!

 

[Redleg]

Appreciate what you did 16 years ago, thank you. This was presented strictly as an FYI on some areas to be aware of if approached by the boys in blue. If this helps but one drone pilot to become better acquainted with the local ordinances, then that is a good thing.
Thank you for your service. Field Artillery! That was no fun, I imagine! I spent my 24 as a cop in the USAF. Some good assignments, some not so good, some classified. Then I did another 20 working for the CO DOC. Finally, retired, retired!!!

My apologies if I sounded critical of the post. If anything, I was trying to communicate how frustrating it is that not only do we have members of the drone community who aren’t familiar with the most basic “rules of the road” of operating their drones, but there are also law enforcement officers who are just as ignorant. I completely agree that this could be useful to someone if they find themselves speaking with a law enforcement officer while out flying.

I appreciate your thanking me for my service, although it looks like you’ve done way more for your country and your community. You spent more combined time in uniform than I’ve been alive (I just turned 43). I left the Army in 1998 and spent the next four years as a city cop here in the beautiful, peaceful, greater Memphis Metro Area. After shooting 155mm howitzers for four years (goodbye, hearing) and my brief tenure as a cop, I moved to the private sector - where the money is.

Thank you for your service to your nation and your community. The country needs experienced leadership in uniform and its folks like you who give us that.

My wife and I have vacationed in Colorado Springs the past two years. We brought my daughter last year. It was her first visit to Colorado. Now I’ll have to bring the grandson. While we’re there, I’ll have to look you up and buy you a beer.

[Edit: sorry, mods, for getting so far off topic.]

 

[theDRONEranger]

My apologies if I sounded critical of the post. If anything, I was trying to communicate how frustrating it is that not only do we have members of the drone community who aren’t familiar with the most basic “rules of the road” of operating their drones, but there are also law enforcement officers who are just as ignorant. I completely agree that this could be useful to someone if they find themselves speaking with a law enforcement officer while out flying.

I appreciate your thanking me for my service, although it looks like you’ve done way more for your country and your community. You spent more combined time in uniform than I’ve been alive (I just turned 43). I left the Army in 1998 and spent the next four years as a city cop here in the beautiful, peaceful, greater Memphis Metro Area. After shooting 155mm howitzers for four years (goodbye, hearing) and my brief tenure as a cop, I moved to the private sector - where the money is.

Thank you for your service to your nation and your community. The country needs experienced leadership in uniform and its folks like you who give us that.

My wife and I have vacationed in Colorado Springs the past two years. We brought my daughter last year. It was her first visit to Colorado. Now I’ll have to bring the grandson. While we’re there, I’ll have to look you up and buy you a beer.

[Edit: sorry, mods, for getting so far off topic.]

You’ve got grandkids, all I’ve got is grand dogs. I didn’t take it rash! I was more surprised, as were many that the FAA didn’t put that a little more UAS friendly area.

FAA was kind enough to send this to me today:

Testing Testing 1..2..3..Recreational Drone Flyer Test is One Step Closer We love that the drone community is growing so quickly. The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) recreational drone flyer test will be an important opportunity to educate recreational flyers about the rules of the sky as we continue to safely integrate drones into our nation’s airspace. A law passed in 2018 requires that recreational drone flyers pass an online aeronautical knowledge and safety test and carry proof that they have passed the test with them while operating a drone. In September, the FAA posted a request for information (RFI) asking for you, the drone community, to submit suggestions on how best to administer the new recreational knowledge test. Based on responses to the RFI, the organizations below have been invited to make recommendations on the administration of the test. These recommendations will assist the agency in developing requirements that potential test administrators must meet. These requirements, and any associated selection criteria for test administrators will be announced on FAA.gov. Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Drone Launch Academy Southeastern University Science Applications International Corporation DJI Horizon Hobby, LLC. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Coach King Schools Unmanned Safety Institute First Person View Freedom Coalition Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Academy of Model Aeronautics; and Drone Racing League. The FAA has great safety information and tips on FAA.gov. Questions? Email [email protected].