Many law enforcement officers are uncertain how to respond to drone incidents within their jurisdictions or what kind of information to share with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Government Accountability Office (GAO) says.
The GAO’s conclusion was included in a recently released report on FAA efforts to ensure that operators of small drones — those weighing less than 55 lb (25 kg) — comply with relevant government directives.
“Most law enforcement stakeholders GAO met with (nine of 11) stated that officers may not know how to respond to UAS [unmanned aircraft systems, as drones are sometimes known] incidents or what information to share with FAA,” the report said.
The report said that the FAA has emphasized the critical role that local authorities can play in enforcement of regulations governing drone operations. Nevertheless, the document added, “…
