“Drones have changed our lives forever,” according to Debra Sanning. Sanning is the Acting Deputy Regional Administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Central Region, which has provided training for hundreds of law enforcement officials and first responders in the Midwest since 2017. Sanning was in St. Louis in late 2018, joining representatives from St. Louis Lambert International Airport and St. Louis Downtown Airport on a panel to talk about rules for flying unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones.   

With the primary goal of keeping the national air space safe, the FAA is engaged in aggressive outreach to help educate the operators of drones and the law enforcement officials who deal with violations of the rules. Sanning says the drone-related issues police officers face runs the gamut. In one case she referenced, which occurred in the Carolinas, a micro drone was used to stalk a cheerleader, following her into her home using a doggy door and capturing her most private moments on camera. Other law enforcement agencies are dealing with child predators who cannot be within so many yards of a school but can still launch a drone from further away and follow a child, or domestic disturbances where one spouse may be using a drone to follow another. Interestingly, Sanning says the media’s use of drones is one of the biggest irritants to law enforcement, as the drones can impede an investigation or lead to the release of information they are not yet ready to share. 

A big part of the FAA’s message is letting police departments know there are already laws on the books to deal with drone operators who may be violating the rules, and the FAA, which controls the public air space, also has enforcement measures if any drone operator fails to comply with the FAA regulations that apply to all aircraft, including drones. In the majority of cases, violations of either FAA regulations or local laws occur because the drone operator is unfamiliar with the rules. Consequently, much of the FAA’s outreach is aimed at education to make sure drone operators know when they need 107 certification and when they should follow the Part 107 rules certified pilots are required to follow.

Part 107 is the first set of rules for small unmanned aircraft systems weighing 55 pounds or less and spells out when pilots can fly their drones, how fast they can go (maximum groundspeed of 100 mph/87 knots), not operating drones over people or moving vehicles or inside vehicles, the maximum altitude drones can fly (400 feet above ground level), and the height rules when using a drone for a building inspection. The FAA prioritizes safety above all other considerations.

In response to the dramatic growth in the numbers of drones operating, the FAA is working with manufacturers to include safety messaging in packaging and has introduced a variety of online and app-based resources to help facilitate education, certification, registration, waivers and more. Among these is https://www.faa.gov/uas/ --  a one-stop spot to learn about piloting a drone safely and within federal regulations.

The FAA’s outreach effort is also focused on what individuals and law enforcement officials should do when encountering someone operating a drone in an unsafe manner, with many wondering if they have the authority to shoot one down. Sanning says that is the number one question the FAA gets asked. The answer appears to be, while law enforcement officials can take whatever legal measures necessary, if there is a clear and present danger, people need to be aware the way a drone is regulated is the same as an aircraft.

“I don’t think people understand they can be in violation of federal airspace without their feet ever leaving the ground,” Sanning says. “It’s a big deal. The cops have some options available to them to take care of that.”

In the case of a pilot approaching an airport, or personnel on airport property spotting a drone in the vicinity, they are urged to contact the air traffic control tower. If the questionable drone activity is anywhere else, the individual witnessing it is urged to call local law enforcement. In all cases, it is important the report should be as detailed as possible. If a drone appears to be endangering someone on the ground, the FAA says dialing 911 is the best option.

Erick Dahl, director of St. Louis Downtown Airport, which is located just across the Mississippi River east of downtown St. Louis in Cahokia, Ill., is also looking to a future that is hard to visualize. “The total number of piloted aircraft is decreasing, so, as an airport director, I need to look at a couple of different factors,” Dahl says. “What does the future of aviation look like; what does the future of the airport look like, and how do I prepare? I don’t want people to throw their hands up and stop innovating because there is too much regulation.”

Another panelist, Ron Stella, says drones operating in the St. Louis Lambert International Airport airspace are not an issue yet, but it is something he is monitoring as the deputy director of operations and maintenance for the airport. “As an airport management professional, I do realize this is just another form of air transportation eventually,” Stella says.

Sanning says right now, the fact that the United States is enjoying the safest air space in the world, is not by accident.  “It’s through coordination and a lot of hard work. We’re asking you (law enforcement) to partner with us ... Help educate (drone) operators in your communities. We’re embracing this technology. We just need to be able to deal with first things first, and that is getting an infrastructure in place to be able to handle it.”

Patti Beck is the Director of Communications at Bi-State Development and a former journalist for more than two decades. Bi-State Development owns and operates St. Louis Downtown Airport.