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UAS may be operated on university property for academic, research or public safety activities in accordance with federal, state and local laws and regulations and university policies. Operation of UAS on university property must be approved by the Department of Public Safety (DPS). Recreational or personal use of UAS on university property is prohibited, even if such use is a permitted “hobby” use under state or federal laws and regulations.
University departments or employees wishing to fly UAS for university-related purposes off university property must have appropriate permits and property owner permission for the location of the flight. They must also comply with any federal, state, and local laws and regulations of the jurisdiction where the UAS flight is conducted.
Requests for UAS operations on university property must be submitted to the DPS at least five business days prior to the date of anticipated flight. If approved, UAS operators are then required to confirm they will be flying as scheduled by notifying the DPS at (724) 357-2141 at least one hour before flight operations. Departments that are frequent users of UAS may acquire a standing authorization to fly from the DPS; however, the DPS must still deconflict requests for flight operations with any other known event(s) or other issues and notification must still be made to DPS within one hour of flight time.
Definitions Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS): Any remotely operated or controlled model aircraft intended to fly within the UAS operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft. Includes devices commonly referred to as “drones,” and may also include communications, support, and navigational equipment. FAA regulations apply to all types of UAS regardless of weight or size.
University Property: Any land, grounds, buildings, or facilities owned, leased, managed or controlled by the university per formal contract or legal agreements. Also included are university owned streets, sidewalks, and bike paths.
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