The FAA is deputizing police forces across the U.S. in the fight against illegal drone use. The agency has issued a 12-page guide to law-enforcement agencies enlisting their help in stemming the “considerable increase in the unauthorized use” of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS). Of course, the police don’t really have the authority to enforce airspace regulations so the agency is asking that law enforcement do the legwork when illegal drone use is suspected. “State and local police are often in the best position to immediately investigate unauthorized UAS operations, and as appropriate, to stop them,” the agency said in a news release posted Jan. 8.
The FAA says it would be most helpful if law enforcement interviewed witnesses, tracked down the drone operators, collected evidence and then notified local FAA inspectors. The FAA would then take over prosecuting the perpetrators. “The FAA’s goal is to promote voluntary compliance by educating individual UAS operators about how they can operate safely under current regulations and laws, but the guidance makes clear the agency’s authority to pursue legal enforcement action against persons who endanger the safety of the National Airspace System,” the news release says.
