Emergency Management: Ground Space Configuration for Critical Operations

Scott E. Kensinger, Emergency Management Coordinator, City of Winchester

Scott E. Kensinger, Emergency Management Coordinator, City of Winchester

Public safety drone programs across the country never imagined competing for low altitude airspace to conduct emergency operations. The emergence of package delivery by drones, commercial inspections, and widespread hobbyist use is becoming more than a futuristic thought. As large commercial organizations develop the strategy and technology for delivering their products autonomously and compete with hobbyists and inspection drones, local governments must be at the forefront of creating ground-space configurations conducive to protecting critical infrastructure and emergency incident interests.

Title 14, Chapter 1, Subchapter F, Part 107 of the Code of Federal Regulations regulates Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems and defines how drones integrate into the National Airspace. The FAA maintains the authority over the National Air Space to create a safe environment where manned and unmanned aviation can exist together. Conversely, some states have created legislation that gives local governments the ability to develop ordinances for the use of drones on public property. This implies that localities cannot regulate the airspace above them but may manage takeoffs and landings on public property and guide how commercial and hobbyist operations integrate on the ground.

So, the question becomes, what can a jurisdiction do to best guarantee all these entities are working together to keep the spirit of public safety and community respect for everyone on the ground and in the air?

The Commonwealth of Virginia is the first state to implement a solution to this issue. The Virginia Department of Aviation has launched a public platform to address the gap between simultaneous commercial, public, and hobbyist drone operations. Known as the Virginia Flight Information Exchange or the FIX, this cloud-based tool automatically allows state and local governments to share information among unmanned aerial system stakeholders that address critical safety and policy concerns while keeping the airspace open, secure, and integrated under FAA regulations. The tool represents local governments’ interests by defining ground space configurations and placing drone pilots on alert for areas that may not be suitable for operations. Drone pilots will then understand where best to fly through advisory filings without impeding critical jurisdictional needs.

"Drone-ready communities must take the lead in developing a solid ground-space configuration that includes identifying critical infrastructure"

For any solution to be successful, drone-ready communities must take the lead in developing solid ground-space configurations that include the identification of critical infrastructures such as government buildings, water treatment, and wastewater facilities, and other public safety interests that, in turn, can be communicated to all drone operations through one platform. For the program's governance, various technologies can be employed to monitor airspace activities and develop critical ground advisories. These include the use of environmental and weather sensors, data feeds, and surveillance technologies such as low-level radar detection and ADS-B sensors for manned aviation. Effective simultaneous operating environments can be achieved by combining flight advisories with sensor/surveillance monitoring.

To better understand what local jurisdictions may need to succeed, jurisdictions should conduct a comprehensive review of federal, state, and local laws to determine their regulatory limitations. Subsequently, planning documents that address ground space configurations and public dissemination of information through platforms should then be developed to include those needing to operate in the same airspace.

For more understanding of the Virginia Flight Information Exchange, please visit the Virginia Department of Aviation website at doav.virginia.gov.