Use of Drones or Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) policy

(Revised 1/6/2026)

*For a redline copy of the policy please contact risk-management@uiowa.edu

I. Purpose and Scope

II. Definitions

III. Drone Committee and Drone Advisory Group

IV. Drone Operations

V. Drone Purchases

VI. Compliance and Restrictions

VII. Law Enforcement

VIII. Violations

IX. Incident Reporting

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I. Purpose and Scope

A. The purpose of this policy is to define the requirements for use of any Drone operated on or over University Property, or elsewhere for any University-controlled or owned Drones.

B. This policy applies to:

  1. Any Drone, parts to assemble a Drone, or Drone services purchased with University funds or with funds being disbursed through a University account;
  2. All individuals who operate a Drone on or over University Property;
  3. All University-controlled and/or University-owned Drones launched or landed outside of University Property.

II. Definitions

A. Drone Any uncrewed aircraft and all of the associated support equipment, control station, data links, telemetry, communications and navigation equipment, etc., necessary to operate the uncrewed aircraft. Drones may have a variety of names including, but not limited to, UAS, UAV, quadcopter, quadrotor, and model aircraft. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations apply to Drones regardless of size or weight.

B. Drone Flight Approval The document given to the requestor upon approval of a Drone Flight Request. This document provides the date, time and exact location of the flight. This document must be in the Drone Operator’s or Remote Pilot In Command’s possession at all times during the flight.

C. Drone Flight Request The form used to provide necessary information to the Drone Committee to launch or land a Drone on University Property, or to approve the use of a University-controlled or owned Drones on non-University Property.

D. Drone Operator or The person who will be flying the Drone. They are responsible for all Drone operations, compliance with all FAA requirements, proper Drone function, and are required to keep the airborne Drone in visual line of sight at all times.

E. Landowner Drone Flight Consent Form The document Drone Operators need to complete prior to launching or landing a University-controlled or University-owned Drone from or on property not owned by the University. This completed form must be submitted to the Drone Committee with the Drone Flight Request.

F. University Property All property owned, leased, or otherwise under the control of the University. This includes all property controlled by University of Iowa Health Care.

G. Remote Pilot in Command The person who holds a Remote Pilot Certificate and is responsible for the safe operation of the Drone, including compliance with all FAA requirements and proper Drone function.

H. Visual Observer A person who is designated by the remote pilot in command to assist the remote pilot in command and the person manipulating the flight controls of the Drone to see and avoid other air traffic or objects aloft or on the ground.

III. Drone Committee and Drone Advisory Group

A. The Drone Committee is comprised of representatives from Risk Management, the Office of Vice President for Research, Campus Safety, Facilities Management, the Office of the General Counsel, University of Iowa Health Care, the Office of the Provost, and the Office of Strategic Communication. The Drone Committee’s responsibilities include:

  1. Reviewing, coordinating, and approving Drone Flight Requests;
  2. Educating the University community about general Drone safety and the Drone Policy;
  3. Notifying affected areas on University Property to the extent feasible and reasonably practical when Drones will be operating, taking off, or landing on University Property; and
  4. Reviewing alleged loss, injury, and accidents involving Drone operations on University Property and involving University-controlled or University-owned Drone operated off University Property.

B. The Drone Advisory Group is comprised of representatives from Athletics, Building Coordinators, Campus Safety, Division of Sponsored Programs, Faculty, the Iowa Memorial Union, and University Housing & Dining. The Drone Advisory Group’s responsibilities include:

  1. Consulting with the Drone Committee on Drone issues, coordination, and requests; and
  2. Notifying their respective areas of Drone flights in their area to the extent feasible and reasonably practical.

IV. Drone Operations

A. Drone Operators

  1. Any person operating a Drone pursuant to this policy must meet all legal requirements to operate the Drone, including all required FAA certifications, licenses, permits, clearances. The Drone operator must provide notice to the local Air Traffic Control or FAA Flight Standards District Office when legally required.
  2. University employees or third party contractors wishing to operate a Drone as part of their University duties or responsibilities or as part of a University program may do so only as:
    1. A civil operation under either 14 CFR Part 107; or
    2. A public aircraft operation under 49 U.S.C. §§ 40102(a)(41), 40125; or
    3. An indoor operator on University Property with explicit Drone Flight Approval from the Drone Committee. See Section IV.B.2 on Indoor Use.
  3. Any University student, volunteer, visitor or member of the public wishing to operate a Drone on University Property may do so only as:
    1. A civil operation under either 14 CFR Part 107; or
    2. A public aircraft operation under 49 U.S.C. §§ 40102(a)(41), 40125.
  4. Any University faculty, staff, student or volunteer wishing to launch or land a University-owned or University-controlled Drone from non-University property must have a Landowner Drone Flight Consent Form completed prior to launch.
  5. For University-controlled or University-owned Drone use in foreign countries, or when foreign nationals are involved in any University activity using a Drone, the Office of General Counsel, the Research Security Office, and the Export Control Coordinator will assist in determining legal requirements and verifying that requirements have been or can be met prior to launch.

B. Launching or Landing a Drone on University Property

  1. Launching or landing a Drone on University Property is permitted when required by law or with prior approval from the University.
    1. Launching or landing a Drone on University Property requires the filing of a Drone Flight Request form and the receipt of a Drone Flight Approval notice from the Drone Committee prior to launching or landing.
  2. Indoor Drone flights are permitted for the purpose of conducting University Business and require prior approval from the University.
    1. Operators must obtain prior approval from the University by filing a completed Drone Flight Request form and obtaining a Drone Flight Approval notice from the Drone Committee.
    2. Operators must also obtain approval from the Building Coordinator for the facility where the Drone will be flown.
  3. Drone Flight Requests will be reviewed based on the following criteria:
    1. The requestor's relationship to the University;
    2. Compliance with University policies and procedures;
    3. Justification of the need to launch or land on University Property as opposed to local aircraft support facilities;
    4. Completion of all required FAA certifications, licenses, permits, and clearances, and compliance with any and all other FAA requirements to operate the Drone as proposed;
    5. Whether or not the Drone Operator(s) have all required insurance coverages in the types and amounts as required by Risk Management; and
    6. Any other factors deemed pertinent by any member of the Drone Committee.
  4. Drone Operator(s) taking off from or landing on University Property must display required documentation upon request from law enforcement or University officials.

C. Operating a University Owned/Controlled Drone on non-University Property

  1. Any operation of a University-owned or University-controlled Drone involving launching or landing from non-University Property is permitted only upon prior approval by the University.

  2. Operators may obtain prior approval from the University by filing a completed a Drone Flight Request form and Landowner Consent Form and obtaining a Drone Flight Approval notice from the Drone Committee.

    Drone Flight Requests will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

    1. Compliance with University policies and procedures;
    2. Permission from the appropriate landowner(s)/authorities in the form of a completed Landowner Drone Flight Consent Form;
    3. Justification of the need to launch or land on the property as opposed to local aircraft support facilities;
    4. Completion of all required FAA certifications, licenses, permits, clearances, and compliance with any and all other FAA requirements to operate the Drone as proposed;
    5. Whether or not the Drone Operator(s) have all required insurance coverages in the types and amounts as required by Risk Management;
    6. Any other factors deemed pertinent by any member of the Drone Committee.

D. Students Operating Drones for Education, Research, or Student Organization Purposes

  1. Students who operate Drones as part of a University class, research project, or student organization must obtain either a Remote Pilot Certification or a TRUST Certification. Students who operate a Drone under a TRUST Certification must do so under the supervision of a Remote Pilot in Command.
  2. Students are not required to submit a Drone Flight Request when using the Drone as part of a regularly scheduled class, where the UI Faculty/Staff have already submitted a request. However, students are required to submit a Drone Flight Request for any flights that are not supervised by the professor of the class.
  3. Students are responsible for all Drone operations, compliance with all FAA requirements, and proper Drone function when operating the Drone.

E. Drone Flight Request Process

  1. Drone Flight Requests must be submitted to the Drone Committee using the online form not less than 10 days prior to the requested operation and must include:
    1. A detailed description of the proposed Drone activity and purpose;
    2. A clearly marked flight plan with identified not to exceed boundaries (aerial map with markings) and with clearly marked launch and land locations identified
    3. Name of requestor, Drone Operator, Drone Operator’s licenses, Remote Pilot In Command Certificate, visual observer (as applicable), permits and clearances to operate the Drone as proposed;
    4. Owner information, description of Drone (make, model, weight, and other specific descriptors), and FAA assigned Drone remote identification number; and
    5. Any other pertinent information necessary for the Drone Committee to review.
  2. To receive a Drone Flight Approval from the Drone Committee, the proposed flight must:
    1. Be forthcoming and complete in its content;
    2. Comply with federal, state and local laws, regulations and ordinances, and University policies and procedures; and
    3. Not pose an unacceptable threat to health, safety, privacy, or the environment, either in an absolute sense or compared to other methods of obtaining the desired information.
  3. If it is not possible for the Drone Flight Request to be submitted to the Drone Committee using the online form 10 days before the requested flight, and the request is from a member of the media, then the requestor should provide the information above in Section IV.B.1 to the Office of Strategic Communications at media-request@uiowa.edu, along with a statement describing the time-sensitive nature of the request.
  4. Any Drone Flight Request may be denied by the Drone Committee if, in the Drone Committee’s sole discretion, the Drone Flight Request does not meet the criteria defined herein for approval or if there has been a recent or significant loss, injury and/or accident involving a Drone or its operation on University Property.
  5. When the Drone Committee approves a Drone Flight Request, the requestor will be issued a Drone Flight Approval.
  6. Risk Management will maintain a record of all Drone Flight Approvals.
  7. Any Drone Flight Approval may be withdrawn or suspended at any time by the Drone Committee if, in the Drone Committee’s sole discretion, the Drone Flight Approval no longer meets the criteria defined herein for approval or if there has been a recent or significant loss, injury and/or accident involving a Drone or its operation on University Property.
  8. The Drone Committee generally will only grant Drone Flight Approvals for short periods of time; however, the Drone Committee may, in its sole discretion, grant a blanket or long term Drone Flight Approval if the Drone Committee determines that the Drone operations do not pose an unacceptable threat to health, safety, privacy, or the environment.

V. Drone Purchases

  1. Individuals, departments and student organizations are strongly encouraged to consult with Risk Management prior to purchasing any Drones or Drone parts.
  2. The University of Iowa prohibits the purchase of certain technology. Contact IT Security with questions about any prohibited technology.
  3. Federal research proposing or using Drones shall comply with federal regulations, including Federal Acquisition Regulation FAR 52.240-1 Prohibition on Unmanned Aircraft Systems Manufactured or Assembled by American Security Drone Act-Covered Foreign Entities. Researchers are encouraged to contact the Research Security Office and the Export Controls Office prior to purchasing any Drones or Drone parts.

VI. Compliance and Restriction. The following applies to all Drone operations within the scope of this policy:

A. Drone Operator(s), visual observer and all flight participants must be in compliance with all University policies and procedures and federal, state and local laws, regulations and ordinances at all times.

B. Drone Operator(s) must be in physical possession of all up to date required FAA certifications, licenses, permits, and clearances, and comply with any and all other FAA requirements, at all times throughout the flight. Drone Operator(s) taking off from and landing on University Property must display required documentation upon request from law enforcement or University officials.

C. Drone Operator(s) must be in physical possession of the Drone Flight Approval at all times throughout the flight and must display it upon request from law enforcement or University officials.

D. Use of Drones for video or electronic surveillance must comply with the University Video Surveillance policy.

E. Use of Drones for commercial filming must comply with the University Commercial Filming policy.

F. Drone operators shall not operate or participate in the use of a Drone while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or in a reckless or careless manner.

G. The Drone shall not be operated beyond line of sight. Use of a visual observer is permitted in accordance with the applicable regulations, however, use of a visual observer does not relieve the Drone Operator or Remote Pilot In Command of the legal responsibility to maintain a clear visual line of sight to the airborne Drone at all times.

H. Drones may not be operated at night unless 1. the Drone Operator has completed FAA required knowledge testing and training; and 2. the Drone has operational anticollision lights, visible for at least 3 miles.

I. Drones may not be operated inside a building, or used to see, observe, record, or photograph inside a building without the Drone Flight Approval from the Drone Committee. See Section IV.B.2 on Indoor Use.

J. Drones must comply with FAA rules for propeller guards.

K. Drones may not be operated directly over persons or assemblies who are non-participants in the flight operations without the express written permission from the FAA and a Drone Flight Approval from the Drone Committee.

L. Drones may not be operated directly over moving vehicles without the express written permission from the FAA and a Drone Flight Approval from the Drone Committee.

M. Drones may not be operated in an area or in a way that would violate a person’s reasonable expectation of privacy. These areas include, but are not limited to, anything seen through a building window, animal facilities, laboratories, patient rooms, residence halls, apartments, residential facilities, and hotel rooms.

VII. Law enforcement Exception. Law enforcement officers conducting Drone flights for law enforcement purposes are exempt from this policy but must comply with all other applicable FAA regulations.

VIII. Violations. Violations of this policy may result in any of the following:

A. Confiscation of the Drone and confiscation of all recorded data from the Drone, regardless of where it is stored.

B. Immediate removal of the Drone and/or violators from University Property;

C. Immediate suspension of a Drone Flight Approval;

D. Disciplinary action in accordance with applicable University policies and procedures, which may include expulsion or termination from the University;

E. Being reported to the University of Iowa Police Department for possible criminal investigation; and/or

F. Being reported to the federal regulatory agency with jurisdiction over the matter for possible investigation.

IX. Incident Reporting. 

  1. Immediate Reporting on University Property: Any alleged loss, injury and/or accident involving a Drone or its operation on University Property must be immediately reported to:
    1. The University of Iowa Police Department, Emergency: 911, Non-emergency: 319-335-0522, 808 University Capitol Centre, police@uiowa.edu, https://police.uiowa.edu/ and
    2. The Department of Risk Management, Insurance, and Loss Prevention, 319-335-0010, 202 Plaza Centre One, risk-management@uiowa.edu, https://uiowa.edu/riskmanagement/.
  2. Immediate Reporting Off University Property: Any alleged loss, injury and/or accident involving a University-controlled and/or University-owned Drone off University Property must be immediately reported to:
    1. The local police authorities, Emergency: 911, and
    2. The Department of Risk Management, Insurance, and Loss Prevention, 319-430-4401, 202 Plaza Centre One, risk-management@uiowa.edu, https://uiowa.edu/riskmanagement/.
  3. Reporting Incidents to the Drone Committee: Any Drone Operator involved in an alleged loss, injury and/or accident involving a Drone on University Property or a University-controlled and/or University-owned Drone off University Property is required to provide an explanation of the incident to the Drone Committee within 48 hours and answer any follow-up questions from the Committee.
  4. Any media inquiries regarding a Drone incident should be referred to the University Office of Strategic Communications at media-request@uiowa.edu.

 

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