Drones sUAV's for First Responders Part 107 Pilots Could Save Agencies Thousands

Drones are becoming more accepted and the FAA is proposing new rules on flying at night and over people without a Part 107 waiver.

It takes knowledge in a number of subjects from flight rules and regulations to reading and understanding Aeronautical maps like Sectional Charts to pass the FAA test to obtain your Commercial sUAV Certificate. It takes practice and many flight hours to become a proficient sUAV pilot.

Rural first responders could benefit greatly from contracting with Commercial sUAV pilots in rural areas. With helicopter flight costs over $1000 an hour and long response times sUAV's could assist in search and rescue, fire scene size up, or tracking suspects. 

It takes thousands of dollars and many man hours to train a Part 107 sUAV pilot. It would be cost prohibitive for most small agencies or to train each firefighter or resident deputy as a pilot. 

Agencies would be better served if fire chiefs and resident deputies were trained as observers for local sUAV pilots. This has two benefits, it leaves someone from the requesting agency in command of flight operations, and the fire chief or deputy are better trained to gather information for type of operation.

In fire size up an sUAV can be deployed in minutes providing information command needs to know for firefighter safety. 

In some law enforcement operations where weapons are involved it's much safer to use an sUAV than put a helicopter crew at risk. 

The best of both worlds this would bring business to local sUAV pilots with their Part 107 Certification and provides air support to small agencies and rural law enforcement at 1/10th the cost of a helicopter.

According to the Arizona Auditor  it costs DPS Air Rescue Units cost about $1,081 per flight hour to operate and maintain.