USE OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUS AND PROPERTY (Policy 77)

Purpose

The operation of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), a drone, is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and relevant state law. Governors State University (the “University”) establishes the following policy to govern the operation by any person of a UAS from or above the University’s campus or properties. This policy extends to any and all property owned, rented, leased, and controlled by the University.

1. Governors State University Property – Buildings, grounds, and land that are owned by the University or controlled by the University via leases or other formal contractual arrangements to house ongoing University operations. 
2. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) – UAS are also known as or may be characterized as Drones. An unmanned aircraft system (UAS), sometimes called a drone, is an aircraft without a human pilot onboard – instead, the UAS is controlled from an operator on the ground. (https://www.faa.gov/uas/) According to the FAA, a UAS is the unmanned aircraft and all the associated support equipment, control station, data links, telemetry, communications and navigation equipment, etc., necessary to operate the unmanned aircraft. UAS may have a variety of names including quadcopter, quadrotor, etc. FAA regulation applies to UAS regardless of size or weight. To fly under the small UAS rule Part 107 the drone will weigh under 55 pounds. Model aircraft are not considered by the FAA as UAS and have different regulations.

Policy 

The University must comply with FAA requirements, 14 CFR part 107, federal and state laws, and any other locally applicable laws or regulations regarding unmanned aircraft systems. The University will establish procedures required to ensure compliance with those legal obligations and to reduce risks to safety, security, and privacy.

1. Scope 

   This policy applies to: 

   1. University employees and students operating unmanned aircraft systems in any location as part of their University employment or as part of University activities; 
   2. The operation by any person of unmanned aircraft system or model aircraft on or above Governors State University property;
   3. The purchase of unmanned aircraft systems with funding through Governors State University, including university account and grants; 
   4. The hiring for or contracting for any unmanned aircraft services by a Governors State University unit. 
   5. Nothing in this policy is intended to limit the scope of active law enforcement activities, which may incidentally cross into university property.
2. Procedures
   1. Any person operating an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) is personally responsible for complying with all federal (FAA), state, and local laws as well as University policy. 
   2. Any University employee or student or invitee of the university wishing to operate an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) as part of their University employment or as part of a University program must first: 
      1. Operate as a 14 CFR Part 107 Pilot in Command, or 
      2. Register UAS as required by federal, state and local law. Failure to register an unmanned aircraft may result in regulatory and criminal penalties. 
      3. Provide information for insurance purposes. The contact for this information is Financial Services. 
      4. Ensure notice is given to the university as required by this policy a minimum of 10 business days prior to operation of UAS.
   3. Appropriate and Prohibited Uses
      1. The use of drones is permitted only for educational or research purposes. 
      2. The use of drones for hobby or recreational use on University property is not permitted. The only exception is if it is part of a GovState educational curricula or course (under the supervision of a certified pilot) and that there is no compensation for the student directly or indirectly for his or her operation of the aircraft. (See FAA memorandum dated May 4, 2016). 
      3. Must provide date/time, purpose, and length of UAS operations, as well as the area of the campus where the UAS will be used to the Office of Environmental Health and Safety. 
      4. Must possess a pilot license and have the FAA registration certificate in your possession when operating an unmanned aircraft. 
      5. Must have experience in operating the UAS and operate them in a responsible manner. 
      6. UAS shall not be used to monitor or record areas where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy in accordance with accepted social norms. These areas include but are not limited to restrooms, locker rooms, individual residential rooms including any inside residential spaces, changing or dressing rooms, the insides of campus daycare facilities, and health treatment rooms. Monitoring or recording sensitive institutional or personal information, which may be found, for example, on an individual’s workspaces, on computer or other electronic displays is prohibited. 
      7. UAS shall not be operated over areas of public assembly or areas of construction as well as indoor spaces. 
      8. UAS must fly under 400 feet. 
      9. UAS must be marked with a unique identifier. 
      10. UAS must be kept in sight (visual line-of-sight) and must fly at or below 100 mph. 
      11. Must fly during the day. 
      12. Must yield the right of way to a manned aircraft. 
      13. Must NOT fly over people. 
      14. Must NOT fly from a moving vehicle.

Acknowledgement

The University acknowledges and credits documents from the following universities in the writing of this document: Columbia University, New York City and Indiana University.