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ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF ’S OFFICE GENERAL ORDER Effective Date: February 20, 2024  Amends - GO 17.1.10 ( March 14, 2023 ) Number: 17.1.10 Distribution: All Personnel Review Month : April Reviewing Authority: OSB / Aviation Subject: Unmanned Aerial Systems This order consists of the following: 1. Purpose 2. Policy 3. Definitions 4. Procedures 1. Purpose This policy is intended to provide personnel who are associated with the deployment and use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) with guidance on when and how this technology and the information it provides may be used for law enforcement and public safety purposes , in accordance with FS 934.50 and 14 CFR Part 107 . 2. Policy It is the policy of the agency to enhance its capabilities by employing the latest technologies through the utilization of UAS. UAS will be operated by trained members of the agency that have satisfied the requirements set f orth by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). All UAS equipment will be used and maintained in accordance with manufacturer recommendations and this policy. 3. Definitions A. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) - The Federal authority that regulates all air space in the United States. B. Flight Time - This starts when the aircraft leaves the ground and stops when the aircraft returns to the ground. This term also can be used as a definition of a span of time that the aircraft can remain airborne in a l ocation and return safely to the ground. C. Remote Pilot - A person exercising control over a UAS during flight. D. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) - An agency owned aircraft that is intended to navigate in the air without an onboard pilot. E. Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) - A powered agency owned aircraft and all the associated support equipment, control station, data links, telemetry, communications, and navigation equipment necessary to operate it. It does not have a human pilot onboard. 17.1.10, Page 2 of 4 F. UAS Flight Crewmembe r - A pilot, visual observer, payload operator or other person assigned duties for a UAS for the purpose of flight or training exercise. G. Visual Observer – an agency employee who is designated by the remote pilot to assist the remote pilot in observing and avoiding other air traffic or objects aloft or on the ground. 4. Procedures A. Permissible uses of UAV – All UAV usage will be in accordance with FS 934.50 . A UAV may not be used to gather evidence or other information except in the following circumstances: 1. To counter a high ri sk of a terrorist attack by a specific individual or organization if the United States Secretary of Homeland Security determines that credible intelligence indicates that there is such a risk. 2. Pursuant to a search warrant signed by a judge authorizing its use. 3. When reasonable suspicion indicates that, under particular circumstances, swift action is needed to prevent imminent danger to life or serious damage to property, to forestall the imminent escape of a suspect or the destruction of evidence, or to ac hieve purposes including, but not limited to, facilitating the search for a missing person. 4. To provide an aerial perspective of a crowd of 50 people or more . 5. To assist with traffic management; however, observations made via use of the UAV may not be use d to issue a traffic infraction citation or as a basis to make a stop for a traffic violation. 6. To facilitate the collection of evidence at a crime scene or traffic crash scene. 7. To assess damage due to a flood, a wildfire, or any other natural disaster that is the subject of a state of emergency declared by the state or by a political subdivision, before the expiration of the emergency declaration. NOTE : Indoor UAV operations a re not regulated by the FAA. Therefore, indoor deployments/operations of agency UAVs are exempt from this policy. B. Protection of Rights and Privacy Remote pilots shall operate the UAS in a manner that respects the safety and the constitutional protectio ns of the people being observed. 1. UAV remote pilots and observers shall only operate UAVs as authorized by this policy. 2. When operating the UAS, the remote pilots shall attempt to position the onboard cameras to face away from uninvolved structures or pe rsons, to 17.1.10, Page 3 of 4 minimize inadvertent video or still images. 3. When operating the UAS, the Remote Pilot shall maintain a safe altitude from persons and property. C. UAVs will only be operated by personnel (pilots and crew members) who have been trained and certified in the operation of the system. D. During all UAV operations the following will apply: 1. All flights will be conducted with in visual line of sight of the pilot unless exigent circumstances exists that limit line of sight. 2. No UA V flight will exceed 400 feet above ground level (AGL) under normal circumstances. If required to fly higher than 400 feet AGL to clear an obstacle, the UAV must remain within 400 feet of the st ructure. 3. All UA V platforms will be inspected for airworthiness prior to every flight. 4. No flight will exceed the recommended flight time of the battery system . 5. A UAV may be flown under both autonomous and semi -autonomous