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Part 107 and Public Safety agenCies

It's a Sheriff's office in North Dakota I know of that is, my agency just took a class taught by their head pilot. Once I get home I'll get you which office.
 
Grand Forks is flying under multiple COA's and Part 107, inclusive of waivers, and they move freely between the two based on the circumstances. Based on current discussions, I would anticipate that most Public Safety agencies will do the same including my own as their are benefits to both methods. PM me if you want to talk further.
 
I just completed the initial training of 8 officers to be 107 pilots. At this time I am operational and flying various missions. We will be operating under part 107 and I have already received an airspace authorization for our jurisdiction as we are in proximity to class C surface airspace. Was also recently given some secret squirrel information for emergency airspace authorizations for mutual aid incidents that fall outside of my established airspace authorizations. As of right now there is nothing that we are not able to do by flying under 107 that we would be able to do under a COA.

My agency is Daytona Beach Shores Dept. of Public Safety.

The local newspaper came out and did a good story on our program that was also carried on Police1.com:

Daytona Beach Shores to use drone for search-and-rescue, building inspections
 
I just completed the initial training of 8 officers to be 107 pilots. At this time I am operational and flying various missions. We will be operating under part 107 and I have already received an airspace authorization for our jurisdiction as we are in proximity to class C surface airspace. Was also recently given some secret squirrel information for emergency airspace authorizations for mutual aid incidents that fall outside of my established airspace authorizations. As of right now there is nothing that we are not able to do by flying under 107 that we would be able to do under a COA.

My agency is Daytona Beach Shores Dept. of Public Safety.

The local newspaper came out and did a good story on our program that was also carried on Police1.com:

Daytona Beach Shores to use drone for search-and-rescue, building inspections
Thanks for the info. Can you get emergency authorizations to fly at night under Part 107 via the secret squirrel process?
 
Thanks for the info. Can you get emergency authorizations to fly at night under Part 107 via the secret squirrel process?
You can't get Emergency Authorization (technically) via Part 107. Emergency Authorization are supposed to be through the Emergency COA process (which requires a previously issued COA normally).
 
Thanks for the info. Can you get emergency authorizations to fly at night under Part 107 via the secret squirrel process?

The process that the FAA is working on now creates the ability to get an emergency airspace authorization for both agencies operating under a public aircraft COA, and/or under Part 107. The term is special government interest (SGI). It is not something that is widely being used, yet. The SGI process has been brought up in two recent seminars that I sat in on from FAA FSDO inspectors. But I was definitely surprised when a Daytona Beach ATC supervisor called me out of the blue the other day to offer my agency the ability to use the SGI upon request, and provided me with a phone number in order to receive an emergency authorizations when needed.

This is only intended for airspace authorizations at this time. I have a night waiver for my personal UAV services company, that includes providing training. Our agency night waiver is pending and I hope to have it back by the end of the month.
 
You can't get Emergency Authorization (technically) via Part 107. Emergency Authorization are supposed to be through the Emergency COA process (which requires a previously issued COA normally).
That was my understanding. I do have the System Operations Support Center (SOSC) phone number. So, after reading the last posting, emergency night waivers are only possible thru the SGI with a COA? But future plans are to grant them to Part 107 pilots via the SGI...is that right? I have an email to FAA clarifying that, no response yet.
 
That was my understanding. I do have the System Operations Support Center (SOSC) phone number. So, after reading the last posting, emergency night waivers are only possible thru the SGI with a COA? But future plans are to grant them to Part 107 pilots via the SGI...is that right? I have an email to FAA clarifying that, no response yet.

That is how it has been explained to me. SGI can get you emergency authorization into controlled airspace if you are operating as a government entity under 107, and without a COA. Any of the waiverable items under 107 will require the waiver.

Now, one thing that the FSDO guy said regarding waivers is that the plan is to eventually write the performance standards (VO at night, light with 3NM visibility, etc) into the 107 regulations so that you would only have to apply for a waiver if you were trying to operate outside of what a standard waiver would allow you to do. As you can imagine, the majority of night waivers all look the same, they would like to reduce the amount of applications for what is going to be a standard operation.
 
Good to know they are running with that, I had heard it being discussed. Thanks for the info.
 
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This is interesting. I have been told by multiple FAA representatives that if the aircraft is owned by a public agency then the aircraft itself must be covered under a COA. You can fly under 107 but the aircraft itself must be under a COA. We are in multiple airspace’s of DFW, Alliance, and others so my COA is Class B, D, G, E up to 500 feet and one location up to 2000 feet. I also have the night waiver update that was sent out.
 
FAA Washington told me (april 2017) our PD can chose COA or 107 but not both. We are in Class G airspace and no reason to ever operate in controlled airspace so we went 107( all pilots FAA certified). Only drawback is not having the controlled airspace authorizations already built into a COA. We have a night waiver and that's about the only waiver we'll ever need.
No mention was ever made of the aircraft needing a COA but it does have an N number.

From :
Aviation Safety (AVS) Safety Technical Support Services (STSS)
Air Traffic and Law Enforcement/SAC-EC Liaison
Supporting Federal Aviation Administration
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Tactical Operations,

Emerging Technologies Team, AUS-430/AJV-115

"So long as the aircraft are appropriately registered with the FAA and the operations that the PD Pilots conduct are within the conditions of 14 VFR Part 107 then they can operate as a civil operator to conduct those operations that the PD wants them to fly. If they need to operate at night and a waiver has not been already coordinated and approved through the FAA web Portal then the incident commander can contact the SOSC to request an SGI for his civil operators to fly that specific night operation. The SOSC cannot issue a blanket night waiver in anticipation of an emergency event where a night operation may be necessary."


But that was April, in FAA UAS time that's like 5 years old so perhaps it changed.

Luis Martinez
Chief UAS Pilot
Maricopa Police Department
39700 West Civic Center Plaza,
Maricopa, Arizona 85138
wings3.jpg
 
FAA Washington told me (april 2017) our PD can chose COA or 107 but not both. We are in Class G airspace and no reason to ever operate in controlled airspace so we went 107( all pilots FAA certified). Only drawback is not having the controlled airspace authorizations already built into a COA. We have a night waiver and that's about the only waiver we'll ever need.
No mention was ever made of the aircraft needing a COA but it does have an N number.

From :
Aviation Safety (AVS) Safety Technical Support Services (STSS)
Air Traffic and Law Enforcement/SAC-EC Liaison
Supporting Federal Aviation Administration
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Tactical Operations,
Emerging Technologies Team, AUS-430/AJV-115

"So long as the aircraft are appropriately registered with the FAA and the operations that the PD Pilots conduct are within the conditions of 14 VFR Part 107 then they can operate as a civil operator to conduct those operations that the PD wants them to fly. If they need to operate at night and a waiver has not been already coordinated and approved through the FAA web Portal then the incident commander can contact the SOSC to request an SGI for his civil operators to fly that specific night operation. The SOSC cannot issue a blanket night waiver in anticipation of an emergency event where a night operation may be necessary."


But that was April, in FAA UAS time that's like 5 years old so perhaps it changed.

Luis Martinez
Chief UAS Pilot
Maricopa Police Department
39700 West Civic Center Plaza,
Maricopa, Arizona 85138
View attachment 16970
That is correct, you can fly as a public safety agency under either 107 or with a COA. But that is flight by flight determination based on needs. Agencies who qualify for Public Aircraft Operations should consider having both a COA and 107 Waivers. You can get SGI access either way.

There is more flexibility with COAs once you get them, but more reporting requirements and issuance of NOTAMS, plus you can only fly aircraft on the COA and any modifications usually have to be approved, unlike 107 where it is the RPIC responsibility. It's a bigger discussion than can be had here, quick advice is to get both. YMMV
 
It doesn't hurt to have both, just gives you more options.
Why would we need a COA? I'd like to know if we are missing the boat. We are in G airspace, have night waiver, no plans to ever operate in controlled airspace, nor agree to fly in any other agencies' controlled airspace, all flight crews are FAA 107 certified, with our own internal training and standards program. What will a COA bring to the party?
 

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