Recently, local law enforcement and fire and rescue first responders in Evergreen, Montana were able to quickly and safely determine if a vehicle, partially submerged in a frigid river, was indeed abandoned. While a swiftwater rescue team was gearing up, the police officer unfolded and launched his DJI Mavic Pro, inspected the vehicle through each window and announced that there was nobody inside.

This quickly changed the course of the response from a possible victim trapped inside, to searching the riverbank for the individual. Rescue resources were reallocated, and the ambulance was released from the scene. The officer was also able to use the drone to read the license plate from the vehicle and its owner was immediately contacted.

In an emergency, every second counts and every resource is precious. All of this would have taken much longer and put rescuers in a risky situation if the officer had not used a drone to expedite the investigation.

Drones are able to give first responders the ability to determine if a scene is safe, without endangering themselves. Responders can start an initial triage by determining the number of victims, and the mechanism of injury, especially in a remote location. If you’re interested in learning more about personal accounts of lives saved with drone technology, check out these accounts of lives saved by using drones for search and rescue.

Drone use by public safety personnel also advances the mobilization of appropriate resources and response teams.

If you’re looking to gain a better understanding of what it takes to implement a drone program, DARTdrones offers a public safety e-book for Police Departments that will walk you through every step of  adding a drone program to your department.

You may find yourself needing to operate a drone in reduced visibility, populated areas, or possibly operating multiple sUAS at the same time. This e-book also describes the differences between Part 107 vs COA, and why obtaining a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization for Public Aircraft Operations (COA) could be beneficial to your public safety organization.

DARTdrones has also developed a custom fire department e-book designed specifically for the types of emergency situations fire crews may encounter. There’s been an undeniable increase in the blending of wildland and urban fire interface in the last few years, and drone pilots and manned aircraft are sharing these volatile and congested airspaces. This document will outline the importance of becoming a certified Part 107 pilot, as well as securing waivers to operate in these dynamic environments.

If you’re looking for even more information on these topics, you may find benefit In the following videos from our DARTdrones YouTube channel.

• We explain the nuances of obtaining a COA so you can decide if it is a good choice for your public safety department. Check out DARTdrone’s COA webinar.

• For more information on flying your drone in the public safety realm, take a few minutes to watch 25 Steps to Launch Drones in Public Safety.

• Drones played a crucial part in these real-world Search and Rescue scenarios.

If you’re interested in adopting drones into your public safety department, you may be interested in taking advantage of DARTdrones Public Safety Grant. 

• This grant boasts 237+ past-participating departments and is “shown to reduce costs by 25-100%.”

• The curriculum is taught by a team of public safety instructors, so you know you’ll be learning from a kindred spirit.

• DARTdrones has partnered with Adorama to award one lucky winner a DJI Mavic Pro 2 drone!

• Through this year’s 2021 grant, $100K will be donated to public safety organizations so their first responders and law enforcement can become certified and trained drone pilots. Be sure to apply to be awarded! Applying is quick and simple.

From all of us at DARTdrones, thank you for everything you do to save lives and livelihoods, and keep our communities safe every day.

About the Author:

Jim is a manned pilot who owns a Cessna 172. He’s been involved in aviation for 40 years. He holds the Single Engine Land, Instrument Ratings as well as the Remote Pilot Certificate. He began flying sUAS when he realized their potential in the public safety sector.

As a 20 year member of his police department, he holds the rand of Sergeant responsible for the training division for his department. He designed and implemented the sUAS program for his city. He wrote the SOP’s secured the COA’s and necessary FAA waivers that allow operation in the tightly controlled airspace.

He and his three remote pilots have used their aircraft for water rescue, crime scene documentation, accident investigation, and lost people searches.

DARTdrones is the nation’s leader in drone training, program development and consultation, offering online and in-person courses in 40+ cities across the United States. DARTdrones takes pride in their comprehensive curriculum, developed by a former US Navy Helicopter pilot, as well as their 40+ flight instructors who are all manned and unmanned aircraft pilots. Visit us online at www.dartdrones.com, call 800-264-3907 or email the DARTdrones Team at info@dartdrones.com to learn more.

The post Does Your Public Safety Organization Need a Drone Program? appeared first on DARTdrones.

1. Drone aerial photography and videography

The ability to create visually stunning videos is a popular offering to make money using a drone. Being able to capture the perfect shot is a skill that can take some time to develop. Fortunately, with today’s drone technology, taking great pictures and video is easier than ever. With an integrated or attached gimbal to automatically balance the camera, drones are able to take smooth cinematic shots. The automated flying features of many modern drones allow the pilot to focus more exclusively on the composition of the shot and storytelling. For example, tracking a subject can now be performed automatically by the drone, permitting the pilot to focus on the creativity. Networking for your drone business with local realtors, wedding photographers and ancillary businesses in your location can be a great source of ongoing referrals.

2. Aerial mapping and modeling

Providing maps and models to clients has become a staple offering to make money with drones. Clients are expecting you to be able to effectively gather, analyze and export mapping data. There is a demand for orthomosaic maps which are a correctly scaled representation of an area, composed of multiple location-tagged images.

With your drone and volumetric software, you can provide your client with an estimate of the volume of a stockpile of sand, rock or other raw material – such audits would take far longer and be far more dangerous when conducted manually by employees clambering up unsteady stockpiles by foot. Consider developing both a traditional and social media marketing campaign to promote your drone business. Also think about joining business and trade associations to target the right companies in your area.

3. Drone aerial inspections

Traditional methods of inspecting any structure, be it a wind turbine, bridge or railway can have significant risk. A worker manually hoisted from a rope to conduct a wind turbine inspection is intrinsically challenging. Drones bring safety and reduced costs to such tasks.

Conducting roof inspections is also an in-demand offering – a thermal camera attached to a drone can give value by identifying hot- and cold-spots. You can inspect solar farms, wireless communications towers, oil and gas pipelines or other large installations. Inspections are one of the easiest ways to demonstrate return on investment to a client as introducing drones helps prevent accidents, reduces the need for manual labor and replaces the more expensive helicopter and airplane alternatives. The DARTdrones Aerial Drone Inspections Workshop will help you develop the knowledge to begin your exploration of this niche.

4. Agriculture and land management 

Drones can be used to make money in agriculture and land management in a variety of ways. For example, precision agriculture is the ability to increase crop profitability by using less resources. Utilizing drones can be an excellent tool in this endeavor.  Drones can be used for everything from analyzing the soil quality to identifying parasites affecting crops.

In forestry, drones are being used for surveying areas and even for planting trees. Agricultural spraying is also popular with highly specialized drones. Using a drone with or without a thermal camera can be used to search for missing livestock and to monitor game. Consider promoting your offerings to the farming, ranching, forestry and land management communities. Business Insider predicts agriculture to be one of five main segments that will experience significant growth in the next coming years.

5. Mining and quarrying

There are many difficult and dangerous tasks in the mining and quarrying industries. Drones can dramatically improve the efficiency of mines and assist in the management of quarries. All of this is achieved by gathering data very quickly at remote distances. Drones can be particularly useful at the pre-planning steps prior to planting explosives to shatter and break rock. Drilling and blasting can also be made safer by introducing aerial technology. Surveying, 3D mapping and stockpile management are popular uses for drones in the mining and quarry industries.  Drones are being used to fly a quarry, then the images are exported to photogrammetry software to produce models and maps so that accurate measurements can be undertaken within these computer models rather than physically in the field. Consider the mining and quarry industry when searching for opportunities to make money with your drone business.

6. Conservation and ecology

Efforts around the globe are being enhanced by the introduction of drones for land and water conservation. Drones can acquire images of ecosystems from the sky unobtrusively. A drone can capture images of the terrain before and after a natural disaster or can conduct inventory of habitats that are difficult to reach by foot. Drones have been used to track animals and to support anti-poaching efforts and to conduct low cost surveys of forest habitats for carbon assessments. Appropriate software can be used to map habitats and species. A 2003 study by the Wildlife Society Bulletin reported that an unfortunate number of scientist fatalities occurred in plane and helicopter crashes at low altitude – heights required for observing and tracking wildlife. Offering drone services to conservation organizations can be a revenue-generator whilst helping a genuinely worthwhile cause.

7. Surveillance and security

There is a growing interest by clients in the surveillance and security benefits of drones and the situational awareness they can provide in a real-time crisis. As drones are less visible, cheaper and quieter than many equivalent technologies they offer significant benefits for surveillance and monitoring assignments. Drones can also cover a lot of ground quickly and remain unaffected by awkward terrain. Be aware that during operations, it is mandatory that the drone remains in your line of sight at all times unless you have a special waiver from the FAA. Be mindful regarding privacy issues also.

If you are in a smaller jurisdiction where helicopter cover is unaffordable for your local public safety agencies and they are not already served by an in-house drone program, you might consider approaching them to gauge if their needs and your offerings align. DARTdrones specializes in aiding public safety departments adopt drone programs.

8. Construction

Drones can be used in construction for a variety of tasks including facilitating quicker and cheaper surveying. Drones enhanced with Real-time Kinematic (RTK) technology offer even greater accuracy benefits, but this premium capability is not necessarily required for many construction projects. Other popular applications of drones in construction are progress monitoring, personnel safety and marketing.

Be aware that in some cases the collection of the data with your drone is only the beginning – the workflow may entail putting that data into a form that is usable by the client. Of course, as we continually emphasize, you must be conversant with drone rules in your country and locality. Also, do consider investing in a second ‘backup’ drone in case your main aircraft experiences an issue in the midst of an assignment.

9. News gathering and sports

The use of drones in news gathering and sports is gaining momentum. Journalists can benefit from your ability to contribute to news gathering and sharing of breaking stories. Your service can allow the public to see visuals from locations that were once perceived as impenetrable. Drones are becoming an everyday tool, bringing vibrant still images and video to the screen to enhance storytelling. Similarly, drones are being used in sports coaching and training to see tactics from an aerial perspective, thereby giving teams an edge over opponents.

While there are still regulatory matters to be mindful of concerning privacy in news gathering, there remains a great opportunity in this sector so do make your offerings known to the local media.

10. Disaster response and relief

Drones have been pivotal in recent years during a variety of hazards.  Uses have included everything from providing a light source to illuminate an area, to locating lost people with thermal cameras. Drones can be a considerable asset in a catastrophe. As a drone pilot, one of the many services you can offer is to capture damage to critical infrastructure after such events. The first few hours of decision-making and action are crucial when an unexpected environmental incident occurs and drones can be deployed very quickly during such an effort, in comparison to alternative aerial solutions. Of course, if considering offering this type of service you must be endorsed and approved by the relevant local relief agencies – your objective is to work under the auspices of the authorities governing the scenario. Make your capabilities and offerings known to relief agencies in your area to evaluate their needs.

Next steps in making money with your drone business

Asking what the best offerings are to make the most money with your drone is certainly wise. Of the 10 offerings above, it would be prudent to focus on those that are the most lucrative given your location, capabilities and extent of competition. A key to success and business longevity is honing your skills in one key offering and striving to become a recognized local expert. Be sure to develop a strategic business plan including how to market your services. The DARTdrones Starting a Drone Business Under Part 107 can help you with this important initial step.

About the Author

Mike is an instrument-rated pilot and a self-described transportation enthusiast and weather geek. As a former light rail instructor for Harris County Metro, Mike trained new operators to safely operate trains on Metro’s new rail extensions in the city of Houston. Mike returned to Austin and discovered Drone photography. Taking his new hobby to the next level by combining his aviation, rait trainer, and industrial sales experience, Mike Joined DARTdrones to share his passion for aviation with student drone pilots to help them become safe, competent and confident drone pilots.

DARTdrones is the nation’s leader in drone training, program development and consultation, offering online and in-person courses in 40+ cities across the United States. DARTdrones takes pride in their comprehensive curriculum, developed by a former US Navy Helicopter pilot, as well as their 40+ flight instructors who are all manned and unmanned aircraft pilots. Visit us online at www.dartdrones.com, call 800-264-3907 or email the DARTdrones Team at info@dartdrones.com to learn more.

The post The 10 Best Offerings to Make the Most Money With Your Drone appeared first on DARTdrones.

Lessons Learned From Flying Law Enforcement Drones

1. It is a lot of work

Very few agencies will have a standalone UAS division. Most will consist of officers from a wide range of assignments, specially trained to be a UAS pilot. This may even include the Chief Pilot who has a primary position, and has had the responsibilities of the UAS unit added to their day to day work.

The requirements for a well run UAS unit is very similar to that of a full time manned aviation unit. When possible, try to spread the work out amongst the unit members so that no one member is inundated or overwhelmed with responsibility.

2. Learn to like paperwork

Mission reports, maintenance reports, crash reports and investigations, training documentation, policy, directives, monthly inspection reports and monthly operations reports to administration. A public safety agency runs on paperwork and documentation. A well written policy will provide guidance on what and when documentation is required.

3. Selecting your pilots

Pilot selection is an item that requires careful consideration. Safely operating a UAS in the public safety environment requires good judgement, technical knowledge, and hand eye coordination. Always take advantage of anyone that has any manned or R/C aviation experience, but this can be a rare skill set to find in agencies that do not have a manned aviation program.

Most agencies use seniority when selecting applicants for specialized units. With UAS being a relatively new technology, it can be an excellent opportunity to look at your younger officers who have been raised in a technological environment.

Lastly, I have seen agencies that intend to train their first line supervisors, Sergeants, to be the primary UAS operators. On the surface this looks promising as these individuals typically have a well developed skill set of judgement and responsibility, but I do not recommend utilizing these positions as your primary UAS operators. The issue arises that for many incidents where the UAS is going to be deployed, the supervisor is most likely going to be part of the incident command structure. This does not allow them to devote proper attention to the flight operation. Having a subordinate as a UAS operator allows the supervisor to delegate the mission requirements and have relevant intelligence gathered, while concentrating on the incident at hand.

4. Training, training, and more training

Anyone working in public safety is used to training. It has been long established that in stressful situations you will fall back to your level of training. Depending on the level of experience of your selected pilots, you may need to simply apply previous experience in aviation or R/C aviation to public safety mission requirements, or you may be starting from scratch with trainee pilots with no previous experience at all.

No matter the experience level, it is important to have a standardized training program, both for knowledge and flying skills. This training does not stop once the pilot is cleared and authorized for operations. I like to have one training event each month for all of my pilots to review previous skills, work on new techniques, and practice scenario based missions.

5. Educate your administration and supervisors

Most agencies will have policy written that outlines who is able to request or authorize the use of the UAS. These responsibilities will usually lie with an administrator or supervisor. Your pilots have completed the training program and now possess a solid knowledge of regulations and UAS capabilities and limitations, but what about the person requesting the UAS?

As a UAS pilot, it is ingrained that as the pilot-in-command, you hold ultimate responsibility for the flight operation. The difficulty comes when supervisors, tasked with requesting or authorizing the use of the UAS, makes a request that unknowing to them would violate FAA regulations, local and state legislation, or aircraft capability.

A simple solution is to provide an abbreviated course designed for your administration and supervisors. Teach them the basic FAA regulations or COA requirements, inform them of current and pending legislation, and then take them out for a first hand experience with the UAS. The more that your administrators and supervisors understand these factors, the more efficient your operations will become.

6. The media, the good, the bad, and the ugly

The use of a UAS is a high profile event. Even for simple training events, you may be contacted by the media to provide a story. With this high profile coverage comes the responsibility to always show the use of UAS in a positive light with well trained pilots, an organized operation, and a respect for citizens rights.

In addition to the training of your administration and supervisors, as mentioned above, also provide some training to your Public Information Officer (PIO). The PIO is the face of the agency and their performance reflects on the agency as a whole. Some PIO’s will be more comfortable allowing a member of the UAS unit to answer technical questions, but a basic knowledge goes a long way.

7. Involve your community

UAS technology is new and exciting. Many people have a limited first hand experience, and are very curious. Bringing the UAS to public events is an excellent opportunity to educate the public on UAS technology, and transparency in how the agency is using that technology.

8. Engage with other local agencies

Along with educating the general public, other agencies in your area may also be curious about UAS technology, but have not taken the step yet to integrate them into their own agency. Many agencies work closely under mutual aid on a regular basis. Depending on your agency policy, the UAS may be available for mutual aid for other agencies. It is important for the other agencies to have an understanding of when they can request the use of the UAS, and what the UAS capabilities and limitations are.

9. Make a legacy

Some agencies are lucky and will have an individual on staff with aviation experience, or simply the motivation to form a UAS unit. These individuals may bring extensive knowledge and experience, making their job of being a Chief Pilot much easier. As a Chief Pilot, they will be highly successful in supervising the unit, flying operationally, documentation, being involved in the UAS industry, and following current and upcoming regulations and legislation. But what happens when that person retires or leaves the agency? It is critical that knowledge and experience is passed down to others in the unit. Always have a contingency plan that if any one person leaves the unit, that the unit will continue on and be successful.

10. Steal, beg, and borrow

Currently, there are a relatively small number of public safety agencies with an active UAS unit. But this number is growing every day. I always take the time to reach out to other agencies to provide knowledge and experience, and also learn what has been successful or failed for them. Many components, such as policies, forms, and training programs, do not require reinventing the wheel. Networking, and sharing of knowledge and experience makes us all better.

Moving forward

The use of UAS in public safety is only going to grow, and those agencies that are now integrating the technology into their operations are truly the pioneers. UAS public safety aviation is not a replacement for manned aviation units, but an augmentation that provides unique capabilities that are being developed every day. UAS is not an evolution of aviation, it is a revolution of why we fly.

About the Author

Mike Uleski is the Chief Public Safety Flight Instructor at DARTdrones and an active Sergeant with a public safety department in Florida, where he is cross trained as a law enforcement officer, firefighter, and EMT. He has extensive aviation expertise with a degree in Aeronautical Sciences from Embry-Riddle, a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine, multi-engine and instrument ratings, and 17 years of experience building and flying remote controlled aircraft. Mike has trained dozens of public safety departments through DARTdrones and actively flies sUAS for his department. DARTdrones was featured on ABC’s Shark Tank in February 2017.

The post 10 Lesson’s Learned From Flying Law Enforcement Drones For My Public Safety Department appeared first on DARTdrones.

The hurricane season of 2017 showed the advantages of utilizing UAS for public safety missions during large scale events. A large number of volunteer drone operators deployed to Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico to provide any assistance they could offer. The results were positive and demonstrated the benefits of utilizing UAS technology during a large scale event.

However, no matter the size of the incident, it is essential for drone operators to understand public safety command methods in order to be an effective role for a given mission. 

Incident Command System (ICS)

The Incident Command System (ICS) consists of a standard management hierarchy and procedures used during temporary incidents. Due to its scalability, incorporation of an ICS in incidents vary from a simple traffic crash to a major terrorist event. The concept of an ICS developed in 1968 to aid in combating wildfires in California and Arizona. Studies showed that before establishing an ICS, there were issues created by management such as communications deficiencies. This resulted in significant loss of property and lives even when enough resources were available.

The ICS was created to provide a regulated management framework and include a systemized aid response. When required, the ICS can apply to an incident of any size.

The ICS includes several key factors:

• Unity of Command – Every participating individual only reports to one supervisor
• Common Terminology – Reduces confusion resulting from different meanings used by separate agencies
• Management by Objective – An Incident operation that is managed to reach a specific goal(s)
• Flexible and Modular – Allows the system to be scalable and adaptable to fit specific needs
• Span of Control – Limits the number of responsibilities and resources being managed by any individual

Anyone interested in flying Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) missions for public safety must be familiar with the principles of the ICS in order to safely integrate into incident operations and be efficient in their mission goals.

Introduction of the National Incident Management System (NIMS)

Utilizing the principles of the ICS, the National Incident Management System (NIMS) went into effect in February 2003 under Homeland Security Presidential Directive #5. The reason for creating this system was based on the reactions to the September 11th, 2001 event. The goal was to standardize incident management approaches for federal, state, local agencies, private industry, and critical infrastructure operators when responding to incidents of any size, place, or complexity.

Prior to the development of a NIMS, individual agencies created their own policies and procedures related to management and operations based upon the ICS. However, there were slight changes in the execution of the ICS that occurred from agency to agency. This resulted in a patchwork that made mutual aid difficult due to different management styles, training, and operational capabilities.

NIMS is based on the following five key components:

1. Command and management (ICS)
2. Preparedness
3. Resource management
4. Communications/information management
5. Ongoing management and maintenance

By having all participants in the incident familiar with the NIMS, drone pilots will have a better understanding of their role; which will result in more effective coordination with other resources and effective response.

Training

Your first step is to become familiar with both the ICS and NIMS by earning certifications issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The following courses are available to anyone online without a fee and can be completed on your own time:

• IS-100.B: Introduction to Incident Command System
• IS-200.B: ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents
• IS-700.A: National Incident Management System, An Introduction
• IS-800.B: National Response Framework, An Introduction

After successfully completing each of these courses you are awarded a certificate showing proof of your training. Once completed you will have a much greater understanding of how public safety incidents are effectively managed. 

For more specific training, DARTdrones offers an online disaster response drone training course which teaches drone operators how to be of assistance with a sUAS in a disaster or emergency while ensuring compliance with federal, state and local restrictions. The multi-section online course covers everything you need to know to properly deploy your sUAS in the aftermath of a natural or man-made disaster.

A Tale of Two Incidents

So how does this affect an independent drone operator? Here are two scenarios involving a small-scale incident and how understanding the ICS can make a critical difference in being helpful or a hazard.

Scenario 1: You are driving home and see a column of smoke rising from a local business district. You have your drone with you in the vehicle and wish to help by capturing aerial imagery of the incident. You park a certain distance from the scene and launch from the street. After takeoff, you fly over to the fire scene and begin capturing video and photographs. A firefighter notices your drone overhead and reports it to his lieutenant. The lieutenant becomes concerned, not knowing where the drone came from, its intentions, and having concerns about the safety of responding staff. The lieutenant notifies the incident commander of the drone. The incident commander now has a new factor to be concerned about during his planning and could request a police officer, who is trying to control traffic in the area, to attempt to find the pilot, utilizing yet another resource from the fire scene. After a short while, you return the drone to your landing area and retrieve the SD card, intending on providing it to the fire department afterward.

In this scenario, even the best of intentions can be misconstrued. The drone operators action caused an unnecessary distraction during a critical phase of operations and a reallocation of resources to respond outside of their most useful duties for the incident. The data collected could have been of significant value to the fire department, but could have been even more useful to the incident commander in real-time for fire operations planning as the incident was evolving.

Scenario 2: Again, you are driving home and see a column of smoke rising from the business district. You still have your drone in the car and wish to help, if able. You drive to the edge of the perimeter and make contact with a police officer handling traffic control. You tell him that you have a possible resource for the fire and would like to assist. The law enforcement officer relays your message to the incident commander who invites you to meet him at the command post. After a brief explanation of your capabilities, he advises you to set up a landing area a short distance away. He requests for you to give an overwatch of the building as his concern of the fire spread and the thick smoke is making visibility of the roof difficult. You launch your drone and fly to a place overhead. The incident commander is able to look over your shoulder and use the video displayed to make command decisions to help his fire crews working the fire while keeping your drone out of the immediate area of his crews for safety. The incident commander directs you to different vantage points as required to make planning decisions. After the fire, he asks if you could provide the video to the department for training purposes.

Although this scenario began the same way, the outcome is very different. Rather than being a distraction to the staff involved, you became a true asset that provided critical intelligence used in command decisions.

Knowledge is Power

Flying public safety missions can be dynamic, exciting, and very rewarding. However, it requires a significant amount of knowledge in order to be safe and effective. Having insight of the “hows” and “whys” when flying for these operations goes a long way to being seen as an asset and not a hazard.

The post Understanding Public Safety Command Methods for Drone Operators appeared first on DARTdrones.

Manchester’s UAV Training for Commercial Drone Use

During the 2-day drone pilot training, students had both hands-on and classroom training to cover all necessary material for FAA drone regulations, commercial drone use, and flying drone for emergency management purposes. For any commercial drone use, especially public safety and mission specific flights, it’s crucial to obtain proper drone pilot training. As departments scale their UAV operations and bring on additional pilots, it’s important to have a standardized training model to ensure all UAV pilots are on the same page, are able to conduct the same flight missions, and that everyone is on the same knowledge and training level. For Manchester’s group, the 2-day UAV training covered the following:

In-Person Part 107 Test Prep Course

This UAV training course teaches students all FAA drone regulations and how to take and pass the Part 107 exam for commercial drone use. The knowledge needed to pass this exam can be overwhelming at times, which is why our drone pilot training school designed a comprehensive Part 107 test prep course to make sure students have a complete understanding of the FAA drone regulations as well as the steps to taking the exam and receiving a Part 107 certificate. Within this UAV training course, our instructors cover the below topics:

• FAA drone regulations under Part 107
• Airspace classifications
• Flight restrictions
• Chart study
• Airport operations
• Radio communications
• Aviation weather
• Maintenance
• Preflight procedures
• Crew resource management
• Aeronautical decision making
• sUAS loading and performance
• Hazards to fly
• Emergency procedures
• Physiology for drone pilots under FAA drone regulations
• Preparing for the Part 107 exam

Hands-On Drone Pilot Training

Our full-day drone pilot training course covers all of the knowledge and skills for flying under FAA drone regulations. Our flight instructors cover essential information for commercial drone use through a combination of classroom training and hands-on flight sessions. The students at the Manchester training covered the below UAV training curriculum:

• Commercial drone use cases – what you can do with a sUAS
• The drone basics – platforms and components
• System set up – connecting and updating your drone
• The DJI Go App
• Preparing for your first flight
• Advanced sUAS settings
• Mission specific settings
• Emergency situations and procedures
• Autonomous flight
• Tips and resources

What Was the Outcome of Manchester’s UAV Training?

With Manchester being at the beginning stages of incorporating sUAS into their daily emergency management operations, our instructors gave them a good base of what sUAS can be used for within those settings. Their goal is to use the UAV training for any purpose where it would provide a resource to an incident or situation, whether it be disaster recovery, search and rescue, suspect pursuit, etc. Our team of instructors were able to use their real-life sUAS experience to provide the students with the knowledge they would need to perform those specific emergency management flights.

Donald Janelle, Deputy Director of Manchester Emergency Management said, “I want to express my sincere gratitude for providing this valuable training – it was one of the top 3 or 4 classes I have ever attended in my 40+ years in the emergency service arena! It was worth every cent!”

The group of 24 students definitely benefited from opting for a private training. They were all in different segments of public safety (police, fire, emergency management) and had great knowledge and operational foundation for their segments, which allowed them to work together to share ideas and different mission specific tactics. For this large group, we used multiple instructors to train everyone. However, private trainings are all different and each training is truly customized to fit the needs of the particular group. We are able to break up groups into different training sessions, design a custom training program, train small groups that get a lot of one on one time with our instructor, and much more.

Donald Janelle stated that the group was very impressed with the DARTdrones flight instructors and that Manchester will be attending more advanced training in the future, specifically Night Flight UAV training!

Drone Pilot Training Instructors

Mike Uleski

Mike is an active Sergeant with a public safety department in Florida, where he is cross trained as a law enforcement officer, firefighter, and EMT. He has extensive aviation expertise with a degree in Aeronautical Sciences from Embry-Riddle, a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine, multi-engine and instrument ratings, and 17 years of experience building and flying remote controlled aircraft. Mike also serves as our Chief Public Safety Flight Instructor.

Michael Bush

Michael’s interest in aviation began back in 1985 while stationed in Germany. While spending a considerable amount of time in helicopters as a passenger, he quickly became fascinated with aviation. Although several years passed, he eventually had the opportunity to obtain his Commercial Helicopter Certificate, Instrument Rating, and Certified Flight Instructor. Most of his career was spent in the field of education, until four years ago when he was offered a position as the Director of Operations for a flight school. Recently, his interest expended to unmanned aircraft systems. He believes the future of aviation will be re-shaped as we know it and that this is a new and excited time to become involved is sUAS.

Chris Grazioso

Chris is from Abington, Massachusetts and for the past 28 years, has worked in the EMS field focusing on EMS Special Operations and Emergency Management. He is also a member of a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue team and started using drone technology in their operations. Currently, they can be used for real-time damage assessments and infrastructure inspections; GIS, mapping, and pictrometry; or just provide an eye in the sky for command staff on the ground.

Chris has been interested in aviation his entire life and received his pilots license in 2010. He flies with family and friends all over New England. He’s also made 2 cross country trips, flying with a friend from Boston to Florida and Boston to Alaska in a Piper Warrior!

DARTdrones UAV Training School

DARTdrones is a nationwide drone pilot training school who has trained 7,000+ pilots in FAA drone regulations, Part 107 test prep, hands-on drone flight training, aerial mapping and aerial inspections advanced workshops, as well as customized drone pilot training for groups like Manchester Emergency Management. Join our team of elite instructors in 40+ cities across the nation. For more information on customized private UAV training, call us at 800-264-3907 or visit www.dartdrones.com. We look forward to helping you and your department launch a successful sUAS program!

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What is a Blanket COA?

A Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) is an authorization issued by the Air Traffic Organization to a public operator for a specific UAS activity. A Blanket COA is a granted authorization that includes the following:

• The drone must operate within the visual line of sight of the pilot
• Visual observers must be used at all times
• Operations must occur during the day
• The drone must remain below 200 feet above ground level (AGL)
• The drone must stay 2-5 nautical miles away from all public-use airports or heliports
• The drone must be registered and display its aircraft registration number
• A Notice to Airmen must typically be issued for each operation

If a government entity wants to fly outside of their granted Blanket COA, they must apply for a separate COA for that specific operational change.

A Blanket COA sounds like a great option, right? Here’s the catch:

Now that a Part 107 certification is an option; your organization would actually be more restricted under a Blanket COA than the standard Part 107 regulations in the majority of cases. Part 107 is a better option in uncontrolled airspace since the majority of airports in the country are located in regions of uncontrolled airspace and the standard Blanket COA requires a minimum distance of 2 miles be maintained from all of these facilities. Also, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has indicated that since the Part 107 regulations created a new Airman Certificate type in the form of the Remote Pilot Certificate with sUAS Rating, they now prefer that public safety departments adopt the Remote Pilot Certification standard if the scope of their proposed operations falls within the parameters of most Part 107 rules.

As we mentioned above, the term “COA” simply stands for Certificate of Waiver or Authorization. These documents are issued for a variety of “special situations” for which standard Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) do not apply in many different areas of aviation. In virtually all cases, the COA is meant to be a temporary solution until suitable FARs are developed. Once they are, the FAA will begin to phase out the applicable COA. We have already seen this happen to the Section 333 Exemption and its COA (the Commercial sUAS equivalent of the Public Use Blanket COA) in cases where the scope of the proposed operations would now largely fall under Part 107 regulations. It is also now happening with Public Use Blanket COAs since the implementation of Part 107 covers all of the same operational areas; again, provided the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) intended to be used falls under the classification of “small unmanned aircraft” or sUA. If your sole reason for pursuing a Blanket COA and utilizing an internally developed “self-certification” plan for your operators is to avoid having to take an exam, and is not based on a definitive operational requirement that cannot be met using Part 107, the FAA will most likely challenge your request and your proposed sUAS training and certification plan very strongly.

Let’s discuss the bottom line:

Ultimately, we predict that in the not-so-distant future, Blanket COAs will no longer be given at all for true sUAS operations and everyone will be pushed to either Part 107 and/or a Jurisdictional COA if necessary. Also, contrary to former practices that were in common prior to the adoption of Part 107, it is not necessary for a Public entity to initially receive a Blanket COA and then request a Jurisdictional COA in order to enhance operational effectiveness associated with airspace and other “waiverable” items. It is currently an option to petition directly for a Jurisdictional COA for sUAS use by a Public/Government entity if appropriate.

Why does this matter:

For public safety departments or any other government entity pursuing a sUAS program, it’s crucial to take the correct steps to certifying and training your team. It’s important to know that although COAs are usually know as being the flexible option, a Part 107 certificate is what the FAA is pushing, and all sUAS operations falling under the FARs is the ultimate goal.

Interested in sUAS Training?

DARTdrones is the national leader in drone training and consulting. Our expert flight instructors will use their real-world experience to get you trained and launched in the drone industry. If you or your organization are interested in public safety UAS training, Part 107 test prep, online UAS courses, UAS consulting, or any other information and resources, visit www.dartdrones.com or call us at 800-264-3907!

The post Why a Blanket COA is No Longer a Good Option for a Public Safety sUAS Program appeared first on DARTdrones.

Who is Considered a Government Entity?

• Police Departments
• Fire Departments
• Local Municipalities
• Publicly Funded Universities
• Public Schools
• Law Enforcement Agencies
• Federal or State Government Agencies

UAS Rules for Government Entities

Government entities interested in launching an UAS must follow all rules under Part 107 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) or apply for and be granted a Public Use Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) for UAS operations.

Part 107

The FAA published a new set of regulations in June 2016 known as Part 107. This new set of Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) were the FAA’s first official rules governing the commercial use of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS). In addition to outlining the operational limitations of sUAS, Part 107 also provided requirements for the issuance of a commercial Remote Pilot Certificate with a sUAS rating for commercial drone pilots. Part 107 is intended to be the first step towards full integration for the use of drones into the National Airspace System (NAS). Often times, organizations operating drones under Part 107 find that some of the regulations restrict them from performing certain operations. However, many sections of Part 107 do allow requests for waivers. The most common requests for waivers and authorizations are the following:

• Flights beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS)
• Flights over people
• Night flights
• Flying in controlled airspace (near airports)

If the government entity foresees these limitations to be a continuous set back to the specific operations that will be performed by the UAS, it can be beneficial to opt for a Public Use COA.

Public Use COA

The Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) for Public Aircraft Operations gives a good amount of flexibility to the organization who holds the COA. After the FAA and the applicable Air Traffic Control facilities authorize a COA, the government entity can benefit from the below:

• Operators can routinely fly within applicable regions of controlled airspace within their respective jurisdictions
• Operators can fly under the special provisions named in their COA
• Upon your COA being authorized, the night waiver portion can be included in the operations term of the COA without added documentation
• In the event of certain emergency situations, the UAS may also be authorized to fly over people in support of the mission as long as appropriate safety protocols are in place

A government entity operating under a COA can also “self-certify” its drone operators provided that they develop and obtain FAA approval for a comprehensive, internal training program. The entity would have to accept the liability for the UAS training of pilots and any operations of the aircraft. Although a COA can provide the government users with a great level of flexibility, interested departments must first obtain a Letter of Declaration, usually from their public attorney, and petition the FAA for access to the online COA request portal. Once granted, the department must prepare and submit their request for a COA, which involves an extensive amount of detailed proposed operational information. So, while a COA does provide flexibility, it’s a longer and much more difficult process than obtaining a Part 107 certificate.

Bottom Line

A government entity must follow all UAS rules under the approved COA as written and authorized by the FAA, or only operate under Part 107 regulations and apply for FAA waivers as needed. DARTdrones offers government UAS training, Part 107 test prep, online UAS courses, UAS consulting, and the service of applying for COAs, waivers, and airspace authorizations for organizations. For more information and resources about obtaining a COA or Part 107 certificate, visit www.dartdrones.com or call us at 800-264-3907!

About the Author

Mike Uleski is the Chief Public Safety Flight Instructor at DARTdrones and an active Sergeant with a public safety department in Florida, where he is cross trained as a law enforcement officer, firefighter, and EMT. He has extensive aviation expertise with a degree in Aeronautical Sciences from Embry-Riddle, a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine, multi-engine and instrument ratings, and 17 years of experience building and flying remote controlled aircraft. Mike has trained dozens of public safety departments through DARTdrones and actively flies sUAS for his department. DARTdrones was featured on ABC’s Shark Tank in February 2017.

DARTdrones is the nation’s leader in drone training, program development and consultation, offering online and in-person courses in 40+ cities across the United States. DARTdrones takes pride in their comprehensive curriculum, developed by a former US Navy Helicopter pilot, as well as their 40+ flight instructors who are all manned and unmanned aircraft pilots. Visit us online at www.dartdrones.com, call 800-264-3907 or email the DARTdrones Team at info@dartdrones.com to learn more.

The post UAS Rules for Government Entities – Flying Responsibly Under The FAA appeared first on DARTdrones.

“The DARTdrones’ search and rescue drone workshops have been designed to allow for a tiered approach where a student is able to develop from a limited amount of experience, to a competent and confident resource,” said DARTdrones Chief Public Safety Flight Instructor, Mike Uleski. “The capstone to the course is a realistic SAR scenario where the student is able to experience the stress of a SAR incident with the goal to locate a specific target. The expert flight instructors for these workshops are experienced public safety professionals and have participated in numerous search and rescue drone operations, allowing them to share this real world experience and knowledge.”

The company has previously trained multiple public safety departments throughout the U.S. and plans on building more advanced drone programs on top of the search and rescue drone workshop. Sgt. Darren Foster of the Maine State Police trained with DARTdrones to implement drones into the Crash Reconstruction Unit.

“Training was a critical element of our drone program,” said Sgt. Foster. “Because this is relatively new technology and a brand new technique for our agency, we wanted to be sure we were proficient in both the operation and rules surrounding the drone. Two of our officers had never flown any type of drone before and they both left [training] feeling comfortable and confident in their flying abilities.”

This new drone training workshop is also a first of its kind as it allows officers and participants from multiple departments to come together, train, and share their expertise with each other. DARTdrones typically trains police and fire departments in private group training events held at the department, but a growing demand for a centralized drone training location caused the company to offer the course as a Workshop.

The Workshop will be offered throughout the United States on a biweekly basis. The first three Workshops will be held on:

• Sept. 15-17 in Scranton, Pennsylvania
• Sept. 29 – Oct. 1 in Houston, Texas
• Oct. 13-15 in Boston, Massachusetts

The search and rescue drone course is the first in a series of Public Safety drone courses being developed by DARTdrones. The series will include: Aerial Accident Investigation, Aerial Water Rescue, Aerial Fire Scene Operations, Advanced Aerial Search and Rescue Techniques and many others.

Learn more about our workshops!

We offer courses on getting Part 107 certified, launching a drone program, getting drone flight training and much more. Visit www.dartdrones.com or call us at 800-264-3907 to learn more about our industry specific drone workshops!

The post Public Safety Departments Innovating Search and Rescue Drone Tactics appeared first on DARTdrones.

Determine Your Agency’s Needs

The first step is to sit down and objectively determine your agency’s needs. Every agency will be different. Some agencies are very large, cover a large geographic area, have hundreds of officers. Agencies like that deploy law enforcement drones daily. Others might be small town departments with only a few officers. They might fly a UAV a few times in any given month. Agencies of all sizes deal with many of the same calls for service in which a UAV could be an important tool to have available. With the myriad options in today’s UAV marketplace, almost any agency can use a UAV as a resource.

The Right Drone Model Based on Your Location

The geography of your jurisdiction is the first factor to consider. You might consider a fixed-wing UAV as an option if your agency covers large areas of rural land. In a more urban/suburban environment, a multirotor with vertical takeoff and landing capability, quick deployment, and stabilized station-keeping ability, would be more useful. For some agencies, a combination of fixed wing and multirotor UAVs can be used together to accomplish the mission.

Also, take into consideration the local environmental conditions. An area that has a constant breeze might require a larger aircraft, with more power available, than a location where the wind is usually calm. A higher elevation location might also influence your aircraft selection because of performance limitations.

Fixed-wing UAV operations are typically more complicated than multirotors, but they can provide some distinct advantages. Do not rule them out if your agency could effectively use them.

What Are the Uses for Law Enforcement Drones?

Typically, when you begin talking with others regarding law enforcement drones, even when they have no previous drone experience, they will begin to think of many ways where a UAV would be a useful tool. This is a great way to brainstorm out-of-the-box ideas to increase the usefulness of the UAV unit.

Talk to other divisions, and specialty units, regarding where they could use a UAV in their day-to-day operations. This may open up possibilities you never considered and help other units be more effective. A detective division may want an aircraft that has the capability of extended flight time, quiet operation and a zoom camera for surveillance work. A SWAT team may be able to use a micro UAV for checking a house during a barricaded suspect call. Patrol may be best suited with an aircraft with forward looking infrared (FLIR) capability for night operations.

Your agency’s crime analyst, or records specialist, is a great resource. The information they record and track can give an idea of: what types of calls are common? When do they happen? Where do they happen? With this information you can begin to tailor the law enforcement drone program to your agency’s specific needs.

What Experience Is There Within Your Agency?

Developing a UAV unit is a very technical assignment. It requires knowledge of FAA drone regulations, aircraft performance, sensor operation, ground and flight training, budgeting, agency policy, and local, or state, laws regarding the use of UAVs. The development of the law enforcement drone unit is best served by a team of individuals that can bring different knowledge and skill sets to the table.

Next, find out if anyone in the department has manned aviation experience. A UAV unit will operate very similarly to that of a manned aviation unit. It is very helpful to have someone well versed in airspace, weather, and FAA regulations.

You may find a remote controlled aviation hobbyist. They can be a great resource for the operation of the UAV, and have knowledge specific to remote controlled aviation.

Talk with your agency’s finance department. They can assist with information about budgeting, or might have experience with writing grants. A good grant writer can be worth their weight in gold when it comes time to purchase equipment.

It’s always a good practice to speak with your legal department as well. Public safety use of UAVs is a very new territory. Few case law examples currently exist to clearly define these laws. Your legal department protects the agency and may be able to clarify the legalities of your intended operations.

If the experience within your agency is limited, contact other agencies that are developing their own UAV units. Even better, find one that already established an operational law enforcement drone unit. I haven’t come across anyone who wasn’t more than willing to share information. Even if you have a large amount of experience available, networking with other agencies is still a very worthwhile exercise.

Every Journey Begins with a Single Step

Your goal at this stage is not to know the exact destination, but to develop a general direction of where to go and how to get there. Outlining the factors involved provides a great insight to what the general direction needs to be. This is only the beginning stage, and the road will have some bumps, but the preparation that you are able to accomplish now, will make the road much smoother.

Continuing Education

This is the fourth part of a series that looks at implementing a police drone program for your institution. For more information on launching a drone program or getting your Part 107, visit us at www.dartdrones.com or call us at 800-264-3907!

Mike Uleski is one of DARTdrones many expert drone pilot instructors and also a public safety officer. He has written extensively about police drone programs and more for DARTdrones about how police can use UAVs. He wrote this post about law enforcement drones.

The post Law Enforcement Drones – What affect’s your drone program? appeared first on DARTdrones.

It can be overwhelming when looking at what offerings are available in the drone market today. Each public safety drone program is unique and requires a specific sUAS platform. There are many considerations when choosing what platform works best for your specific uses. In this article, we will discuss the different factors to consider for your public safety drone program.

Platform considerations for law enforcement

There are several considerations that are of importance to make a UAS capable for law enforcement operations:

• Flight time: Due to an unknown duration of an incident, more flight time per battery is important. Second in importance to the flight time duration to a single battery is the ease of recovering the aircraft and changing out batteries and being able to return to station.
• Sensor system: For a law enforcement UAS to be truly valuable it must be night operations capable. This typically means having the ability to utilize a FLIR system
• Wind/Weather capability: Law enforcement incidents cannot be planned and encountering inclement weather is probable at some point. A larger UAS platform can have more capability in maintaining a stable hover in a stiff wind. Other options would be to have the UAV weatherproof/water resistant for operations in rain.
• Ease of deployment: To be effective the UAS must be quick to deploy, typically from a patrol vehicle. Folding UAS that can be more compactly stored in the patrol vehicle can provide a distinct advantage over having to retrieve the UAS from a central location prior to deployment.

Platform considerations for fire services

The considerations when selecting a UAS for fire service use has much in common with their law enforcement brethren:

• Flight time: As with law enforcement incidents, the duration of a fire incident cannot be predetermined. A longer duration battery is preferred.
• Sensor system: Structural fire fighters have utilized FLIR technology for years to provide situational awareness of the fire environment. Being able to utilize the same technology from an aerial perspective can provide intelligence that is impossible to acquire by ground based imagery.
• Wind/Weather capability: Common with emergency situations, the day and time of the incident cannot be predicted. The weather that exists must be dealt with. The more weather capable the UAS is, the more use that it will see.
• Payload capability: For rescue purposes, the ability to carry and deliver a payload, e.g. rope tether, life preserver, radio, etc. can be the difference between life and death. UAVs are capable beyond only being able to capture images and video.

If your department is considering launching a public safety drone program, contact us at 800-264-3907 for drone training and drone consulting.

Be sure to catch our next blog on our experts’ top public safety drone picks!

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