The FAA’s YouTube channel has a recording of a recent event where a panel of experts in public safety discussed best practices for small electric unmanned aviation, or drones. If you’d like to watch the video itself, it’s embedded below, but if you want to read my summary, scroll further down.
Richard Fields, from the Los Angeles City Fire Department, said they were fortunate that they started slow building the program to make it more sustainable. They figured out pretty fast that they needed more than they thought, and learned that they needed a long-term plan to keep the program going. Communicating with everybody inside the department, other agencies, and the FAA was also a challenge.
Kerry Fleming from the FAA Special Operations Support Center also supports local drone programs. I’ve personally worked with SOSC on a project I did with New Mexico DOT. When government agencies need quick permission to do something unusual or that requires a waiver, they can often give you that special permission if they can determine it can be done safely.
He came back later and said they want to have policies in place first, including a goal for the drone people. Richard Fields added that he thinks the 107 is “highly, highly, highly recommended,” even if the agency wants to fly under different rules.