Drone Program To Take Off In Fairfax County

FAIRFAX, VA—The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a program Tuesday for emergency management and public safety departments to use drones, also known as unmanned aircraft systems.

The Office of Emergency Management, Fire and Rescue, Police and Sheriff's Departments will use the drones. In a press release, the county says drones can provide high-quality images, data and geospatial solutions, including in areas that could be unsafe for first responders. The drones will be used for search and rescue, flooding assessments, damage assessments before and after disasters, crash reconstruction, fire incident or scene management and investigations, hazardous materials responses and situational awareness for wildlife management.

According to the county, the drone program cannot be used for to conduct random surveillance or personal business, harass any individual or group or other unauthorized uses.

Participating agencies will begin buying the equipment, getting pilot certifications and conducting flight and ground school training. Operational flights could begin in late August or early September. Operators of the drones will have to receive a remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The drone program was two years in the making. A task force created last fall included representatives from the ACLU, FAA, NAACP, McLean Citizens Association, Communities of Trust and county agencies among others. The county collected feedback and held informational meetings earlier this year. Numerous Virginia jurisdictions including Loudoun and Stafford counties have drone programs, WTOP previously reported.

The county will create notifications for drone missions or training flights through Fairfax Alerts. For more information on the drone program, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/uas.