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This page is a framework
Quick reference: requesting a drone team
General planning guidance. The operator's FAA authority and the crew's training govern what can actually be flown.
Information the drone team will ask for:
- Location: the last known point as latitude and longitude, the search area boundaries, and a safe launch site.
- Mission: what you need, such as a thermal search, a visual grid search, mapping, or overwatch for ground teams.
- Subject: clothing colors, size and anything that would stand out from the air or on a thermal camera.
- Contact: one person with a radio frequency or phone number, plus weather and hazards such as power lines.
Who may fly, and where:
- Two legal paths: government drone programs fly either under the FAA's small drone rule (14 CFR Part 107) or as public aircraft under a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA).
- Emergency approvals: when a mission needs more than the team's existing authority, the FAA's Special Governmental Interest (SGI) process can approve it quickly, sometimes in minutes. For time-critical requests call the FAA System Operations Support Center at 202-267-8276.
- Volunteer teams fly under Part 107 and only at the request of the agency in charge.
Keeping drones and crewed aircraft apart:
- One air coordinator: when helicopters or planes are working the search, assign someone to keep drones and aircraft separated by altitude, area or time.
- Land when told: drones give way to crewed aircraft. Ground every drone the moment a helicopter is inbound unless the air coordinator says otherwise.
Mutual aid workflow
Requesting drones here
Airspace safety
- Stop unauthorized drones. Hobby and media drones near a search can ground rescue helicopters.
- Flight restrictions. The FAA can restrict airspace over a search or disaster area (14 CFR 91.137); drone teams then need FAA approval to fly inside it.
- Visual observers. Use an observer to watch for aircraft and people while the pilot watches the screen.
Who pays
- Varies by operator: agency drones are usually paid for by the agency that owns them; volunteer teams typically do not charge.
- Ask before launch whether a mutual aid agreement or cost recovery applies.
County resource density
State drone programs and coordination
State agency drones and where a request is opened
Local government air units
Sheriff, police, fire and emergency management drone programs
Volunteer drone teams
Teams that fly only at an agency's request
Federal programs
Federal agency drone resources
Nothing matches that search. Clear the filters or try a county name.
Program statistics
Recent deployments
Live news search
Opens a running news query for search and rescue activity in this state.
Open news searchCapability mix
Share of registered assets by discipline.
Governance and statutory authority
State mutual aid guidelines
The typing documents behind a request
These documents set out how drones are requested and when agencies may use them. Open a card for the summary and a link to the published source.
No state guideline documents are indexed yet for this state.
State statutes
Authority for search and rescue in this state
Federal frameworks
These apply in every state
Becoming a SAR drone pilot
The path for agency and volunteer pilots
Capabilities and qualifications
| Capability | What the team does | Who provides it and the standard | Recurrency |
|---|
Training resources
FAA and national references
Field toolkit and admin
Launch sites, logs and emergency airspace
Launch site setup
What to prepare before a drone team arrives.
- Open area clear of power lines and crowds.
- Power for charging; a plan for sharing video.
Logging and volunteer registration
Records that support after-action review, reimbursement and volunteer coverage:
- Flight log recording pilot, aircraft, times, the area flown and what was found.
- Unit activity log for after-action reporting and reimbursement.
Emergency airspace approvals (SGI)
FAA approval for emergency flights beyond a team's usual authority.
- Apply through the FAA waiver portal (SGI).
- Time-critical: FAA SOSC 202-267-8276.