Starting a small agency drone program.

Published 2026-09-04

Step 1: decide what it is for

Write one sentence. "Get a live view of a scene before an officer arrives." "Search open ground for a missing person." "Document a crash scene." The sentence decides the aircraft, the policy, and the answer to the first council question. A program that starts with the aircraft and looks for a use afterward is the one that ends up in the local paper.

Step 2: pick the legal path

Public safety agencies fly either as a public aircraft operator under a Certificate of Authorization, or under Part 107 with certificated remote pilots. For a small agency, Part 107 is faster: an officer passes the FAA knowledge test at a testing center, receives a remote pilot certificate, and completes recurrent training every 24 months. Fly within visual line of sight, below 400 feet, and under the airspace rules for your location. Flights beyond visual line of sight need FAA authorization.

Step 3: write the policy before the first flight

Keep it to two pages. Cover:

• Purpose and permitted uses, and the uses you rule out (routine surveillance, for instance).
• Authorization: who approves a flight, and what gets logged.
• Data: how long video is retained, who may view it, and how a public records request is handled.
• Training and currency: the certificate, the recurrent training, and a minimum monthly flight-hour expectation.
• Transparency: where the policy is published, and how the public asks questions.

Publish it. Programs that publish their policy get fewer objections than programs that get asked for one.

Step 4: fund it honestly

Federal public safety grants, including COPS Office programs, have funded drone purchases, and federal funds can only buy NDAA-compliant aircraft. Under $10,000, federal buyers can use a purchase card; local agencies have their own small-purchase limits. A starting capability costs about $3,674: one Corvin complete kit, two spare batteries, and the FAA testing fee for one officer. That is a line a council can approve without a hearing.

Step 5: buy an aircraft your people can keep flying

A small agency has no drone technician. Buy an aircraft the handiest officer can repair: detachable arms, printable parts, spares at published prices, and a manufacturer who answers the phone. The repair guide covers what breaks and what it costs. The DJI replacement guide covers what to do with a foreign fleet you already own.

Step 6: train, log, and report

Ten hours of flight a month per pilot is the figure experienced programs recommend. Log every flight. After ninety days, report to the council what the aircraft did: calls flown, minutes to first view, outcomes. That report is the case for the next aircraft.

Starting kit

Questions buyers ask

Do officers need a pilot certificate?

Yes for most agencies. Public safety agencies fly either under a Certificate of Authorization as a public aircraft operator or under Part 107 with certificated remote pilots. Part 107 is the faster route for a small agency: a knowledge test, a certificate, and recurrent training.

Do we need a policy before the first flight?

You need one before the first public question. A short written policy that says what the aircraft will and will not be used for, who authorizes flights, how long video is kept, and who can see it, answers most objections before they are raised.

Is there grant money for this?

Federal public safety grants, including COPS Office programs, have been used to fund drone purchases, and federal funds can only buy NDAA-compliant aircraft. State programs vary. Ask your state administering agency which programs allow equipment purchases.

Does EnCor provide training or write policies?

Not as a formal service today. This page is what we can share now. Ask in a briefing and we will tell you what else we can provide.

What is the smallest realistic starting kit?

One Corvin complete kit at $2,999, two spare batteries, and one certificated officer. About $3,674 including the FAA testing fee.