TRAINING
Getting an unmanned aircraft
system off the ground
The availability of unmanned aircraft systems
(UAS) has been a game-changer in the way pub-
lic safety and first responders complete their
missions. UAS have added a capability that was
once financially out of reach for most public safe-
ty agencies. The ability to deploy a low-cost aerial
asset has had an immediate impact on the suc-
RONALD cess of an outcome during searches for a missing
LEACH
person — when time is of the essence.
Helicopters and airplanes require a significant
maintenance cost associated with every hour of flight. Some of
these costs include pilot training (initial and recurrent), insur-
ance, hangar leases, aircraft registrations and other variables.
These costs are prohibitive, in that most agencies do not have
a budget that can sustain manned aerial assets. Presently, UAS
are not in a position to replace manned aviation. However, they
can play an important role as a force multiplier and gap filler
with the right planning and vision of a program.
It’s easy to point out how UAS would be a benefit, and there
are more scenarios than what just one person can imagine.
When the boss would ask how UAS could be used, it was easier
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to point out what they couldn’t do. Prior to engaging in the use
of UAS, it is vitally important for public safety and first respond-
ers to understand the responsibility that comes with operating
a UAS. In the eyes of the FAA, the pilot of a UAS is considered a
remote pilot and must be operating a registered aircraft.
In the zeal to achieve the goal of saving a life or getting a job
done, some members of public safety and first responders have
taken the approach of “ask for forgiveness later.” While noble
in its intention, the FAA offers forgiveness in the way of fines
and heavy-handed enforcement. The FAA’s primary mission is
to ensure the safety of the National Airspace System. If you’re
enforcing laws, you definitely should know better and that’s the
position they take.
Getting a UAS operation up and running can be done if there
is buy-in from management and the public. Establishing a vi-
sion and setting goals for how the UAS program should operate
sets the path to success. Identifying who the pilots will be, what
the deployment guidelines are, how it impacts public percep-
tion and the authorization to conduct the flight are important
considerations for a successful program.
The last piece of the puzzle should be identifying a suitable
platform for the operation. We know of dozens of public safety
agencies that have wasted valuable resources by purchasing a
UAS before understanding what the mission is. This is a crucial
piece that requires careful consideration.
Several companies have been accused of questionable busi-
ness practices — surreptitiously collecting metadata from the
UAS and sending this same information back to servers in a
foreign country. In essence, the manufacturers were/are spy-
ing without the knowledge of the operator. While this may not
seem to be a major concern if UAS are used solely to document
an accident scene, what happens when the mission is expand-
ed to include critical infrastructure?
The information contained here just scratches the surface
of the thought process for engaging in UAS operations. Leach
Strategic Partners has been engaged in the industry and has a
proven track record of assisting departments in getting their
UAS programs up and running. We will gladly sit down and dis-
cuss the finer points of establishing a successful UAS opera-
tion.
Ronald Leach, New Jersey State Police-retired, served for 23
years. He was the NJSP Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) subject
matter expert and chairman of the NJSP UAS Working Group.
He holds numerous FAA certifications, including an Airline
Transport Pilot-Helicopter rating and the newly created Remote
Pilot certification, first issued in August 2016. Ron served as a
member of the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of
Justice, Office of Justice Programs and Law Enforcement UAS
Working Group. He assisted with the drafting of recommenda-
tions for law enforcement of UAS.
NEW JERSEY COPS
■ NOVEMBER 2018