Purpose
The purpose of these guidelines is to ensure the safety of people, property and equipment when operating Clackamas County Business and Community Service’s (BCS) unmanned aerial vehicle(s) (UAV).
Two (2) UAVs are owned by BCS to support programs and projects of the department. The UAVs are used to assist staff with mapping, promotion, and management of department services.
Training
Site visits are necessary to determine if a location is conducive for UAV flight. Ultimately, it’s up to the discretion of the pilot whether the drone flies or not. In some cases, a waiver of liability will be required. This will be determined by the pilot conducting the pre-flight site visit. The pilot will be certified under specific FAA guidelines and hold a UAV flight license.
All BCS staff pilots will attend an 80 hour class specializing in Technical prep for UAV usage prior to flying. The program provides students specific training to complete the FAA Par 107 knowledge test and includes 40 hours of flight time during the class.
Flight Log
The UAVs will be stored in a locked room within the BCS office at the Development Services Building. A prepared flight schedule will be completed before each flight and will be submitted to the BCS Director for review and approval. After the flight has been completed, a flight log will be created to document each flight. Flight plans and flight logs will be kept on the BCS share drive in accordance with records retention rules.
Liability
Before conducting flights on land not owned by Clackamas County, the UAV pilot will obtain written consent from the property owner allowing the use to occur.
UAV Flight Guidelines:
- The UAV must fly below 400 feet and remain clear of surrounding obstacles
- UAV cannot be flown within 5 miles of an airport
- Pilot must keep UAV within visual line of sight at all times
For the safety of all people and property nearby, the UAV cannot fly:
- Near or over people without consent or knowledge of drone usage
- Over property without consent of property owners
- Near transmitters and communication equipment that may cause interference with controller radio and electronics
Depending on location UAV flight may also be limited due to:
- Tight spaces or congested areas
- Environmental conditions such as high winds, rain, snow, fog, etc.
- GPS loss in covered area
Preflight Checklist
- Remote Controller, Intelligent Flight Battery, and mobile device are fully charged
- Propellers are mounted correctly and firmly
- Micro-SD card has been inserted, if necessary
- Gimbal is functioning normally
- Motors can start and are functioning normally
- All electronic apps are functioning property
Use, Storage, Access, Sharing and Retention of Data Obtained:
- All video, photos, and audio (“data”) obtained through the use of a county owned and operated UAV shall be maintained consistent with ORS 192.345 a copy of which is attached as Appendix A as required by ORS 837.362.
- All data will be retained for a period of no less than 30 days from the date collected, OAR 166-150-0135(76), unless it is use for code enforcement purposes then it shall be retained for a period of no less than 10 years from the last action in the matter, OAR 166-150-0020(3).
- All data will be retained in the possession of Clackamas County for the duration of its’s storage.
- Any data shared with another public entity will be done pursuant to an intergovernmental agreement (“IGA”).
- If an IGA is executed it shall be publicly accessible through a link from this policy.
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