Policy Text
Policy
613Mountain View Police Department
Mountain View PD Policy Manual
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2021/04/07, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Mountain View Police
DepartmentUnmanned Aerial System (UAS) Operations -
1Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Operations
613.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for the use of an unmanned aerial system
(UAS) and for the storage and/or destruction, retrieval and dissemination of images and data
captured by the UAS in accordance with applicable Federal, state, and local law, and City of
Mountain View regulations.
613.1.1 DEFINITIONS
Definitions related to this policy include:
Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) - An unmanned aircraft of any type that is capable of sustaining
directed flight, whether preprogrammed or remotely controlled (commonly referred to as an
unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)), and all of the supporting or attached systems designed for
gathering information through imaging, recording or any other means.
Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) - a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant
of approval for a specific flight operation. COA is an authorization issued by the Air Traffic
Organization to a public operator for a specific Unmanned Aircraft activity
Program Coordinator - A Mountain View Police Sergeant or Lieutenant who manages the
UAS Program and operates in accordance with all Federal, State, and Local laws, and within
department policy and guidelines.
Pilot-in-Command (PIC) - The person acting in command of a flying operation in which there
might be more than one individual involved in the safe execution of the mission, person
manipulating the controls, visual observer (VO), and anyone else that may be directly participating
in the UAS operation.
Operator/Pilot - A member of the Mountain View Police Department or other authorized city
employee, who is trained, certified and authorized to control a UAS during a flight mission.
Visual Observer (VO) - a member of the Mountain View Police Department, or other authorized
city employee who assists the operator/pilot with avoiding obstacles, operates any attachment
to the UAS, remains alert for safety issues surrounding the operator and observer, and handles
radio communications.
613.2 POLICY
Unmanned aerial systems may be utilized to enhance the department’s mission of protecting lives
and property when other means and resources are not available or are less effective. Any use
of a UAS will be in strict accordance with constitutional and privacy rights and Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) regulations.
Mountain View Police Department
Mountain View PD Policy Manual
Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Operations
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2021/04/07, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Mountain View Police
DepartmentUnmanned Aerial System (UAS) Operations -
2613.3 PRIVACY
The use of the UAS potentially involves privacy considerations. Absent a warrant or exigent
circumstances, operators and observers shall adhere to FAA altitude regulations and shall not
intentionally record or transmit images of any location where a person would have a reasonable
expectation of privacy (e.g., residence, yard, enclosure). Operators and observers shall take
reasonable precautions to avoid inadvertently recording or transmitting images of areas where
there is a reasonable expectation of privacy. Reasonable precautions may include, but are not
limited to, deactivating or turning imaging devices away from such areas or persons during UAS
operations.
613.4 PROGRAM COORDINATOR
The Police Chief will appoint a program coordinator who will be responsible for the management
of the UAS program. The program coordinator will ensure that policies and procedures conform to
current laws, regulations and best practices and will have the following additional responsibilities:
•Coordinating the FAA Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) application process
and maintaining the management and renewal of the COA.
•Ensuring that all authorized operators and observers have completed all required FAA
and department-approved training including, but not limited to, operation, applicable
laws, policies and procedures regarding use of the UAS.
•Developing uniform protocols for submission and evaluation of requests to deploy a
UAS, including urgent and emergency requests made during ongoing or emerging
incidents.
•Developing protocols for conducting criminal investigations involving a UAS.
•Implementing a system for public notification of UAS deployment when necessary.
•Develop and maintain a continual training plan.
•Developing an operational protocol governing the deployment and operation of a UAS
including, but not limited to, safety oversight, use of visual observers, establishment
of lost link procedures and secure communication with air traffic control facilities.
•Developing a protocol for documenting all missions.
•Developing a UAS inspection, maintenance and record-keeping protocol to ensure
continuing airworthiness of a UAS, up to and including its overhaul or life limits.
•Developing protocols to ensure all data intended to be used as evidence are
accessed, maintained, stored and retrieved in a manner that ensures its integrity as
evidence, including strict adherence to chain of custody requirements. Electronic trails,
including encryption, authenticity certificates and date and time stamping, shall be
used as appropriate to preserve individual rights and to ensure the authenticity and
maintenance of a secure evidentiary chain of custody.
•Developing protocols that ensure retention and purge periods are maintained in
accordance with established records retention schedules.
Mountain View Police Department
Mountain View PD Policy Manual
Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Operations
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2021/04/07, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Mountain View Police