Agenda - Council - 01/13/2026 - Laserfiche WebLink

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804 Adoption Date: 1/13/2026 RAMSEY POLICE POLICY UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS (UAS) OPERATIONS Revised Date: N/A 804.01 PURPOSE AND SCOPE The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for the use of an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) and for the storage, retrieval, and dissemination of images and data captured by the UAS (Minn. Stat. § 626.19). DEFINITIONS Definitions related to this policy include: • Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS): An unmanned aircraft of any type that is capable of sustaining directed flight, whether preprogrammed or remotely controlled without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft (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 (Minn. Stat. § 626.19). • DFR (Drone as First Responder): A program where drones autonomously respond to emergency calls, providing real-time situational awareness. • BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight): Drone operations where the remote pilot or visual observer cannot maintain unaided visual contact with the unmanned aircraft during flight. • Shielded Operations: BVLOS flights conducted under 200 ft AGL. or within 100 ft laterally and 50 ft vertically of a structure or obstacle. • DAA (Detect -and -Avoid): Technology used to detect and avoid other aircraft during BVLOS operations. 804.02 POLICY Unmanned aircraft systems can be utilized to enhance the office's mission of protecting lives and property when other means and resources are unavailable or less effective. Any use of a UAS will be in strict accordance with constitutional and privacy rights, as well as Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations. 804.03 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 can include, for example, deactivating or turning imaging devices away from such areas or persons during UAS operations. 804.04 PROGRAM COORDINATOR The Chief of Police shall designate a UAS Program Coordinator to oversee all operational, legal, and technical aspects of the UAS program, which include but are not limited to: • Ensures compliance with FAA regulations (Part 107, Part 91.113, Part 108,), Minn. Stat. § 626.19. • Manages FAA COA/COW and waiver applications (including BVLOS, shielded ops, and night ops), and ensures all certifications are current. • Ensuring that all authorized operators have completed all required FAA and department -approved training in the operation, applicable laws, policies, and procedures regarding the use of the UAS. Policy 804 Page 1 of 3