Drones on Campus: Have a Policy

The potential for positive uses for drones on campus is attractive, but it’s important to remember that drones also carry with them the potential to invade privacy, injure people and cause property damage, even if used properly and legally.

Ideally, a campus drone-use policy — for educational use, private use or safety and security use — must comply with federal law, as well as any state laws in place. An established policy should also identify any restrictions on the drone itself (where and when they can fly, weight, height, speed, etc.) and specify what sanctions will be imposed if policy is violated.

Also important is to ensure that your institution has insurance in place that will cover any accidents.

Once your policy is developed and in place, make it public to your campus community. As updates are made to federal or state (or even local) laws concerning drone use, be sure your policy is updated and these changes are made public as well.

If you’re not sure where to start in developing a campus drone-use policy, you can review policies already in place at other colleges and universities, including:

Clarkson University
Potsdam, NY
“Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Policy”

Columbia University
New York, NY
“Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems on University Campus and Property”

Trinity University
San Antonio, TX
“Drones Policy”

University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA
“UAS and Drones”

University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
“Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones)”

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • dormitory with green roofs, solar panels, balconies, and labeled architectural annotations

    2025 Residence Hall Design Trends Focus on Sustainability, Flexibility, Community, Technology, and Well-Being

    With the most technically advanced Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) at the helm, residence hall design trends for 2025 look to focus on flexible spaces, health and wellness, sustainability, community, and digital technology.

  • ClassVR Wins Tech & Learning Best of Show at ISTELive 25

    Avantis Education recently announced that its flagship product, ClassVR, won the Tech & Learning Best of Show Award at ISTELive 25 in San Antonio, Texas, according to a news release. The program is designed to celebrate products that are “transforming education in schools around the world and that show the greatest promise for the industry,” and this is the fourth consecutive year that Avantis has claimed the award.

  • Beeville ISD Starts Construction on New Elementary School

    The Beeville Independent School District near Corpus Christi, Texas, recently began a construction project that will consolidate two existing, aging schools into a new elementary school, according to a news release. The district is partnering with Pfluger Architects and Spawglass General Contractors for the design and construction, respectively, of the new facility.

  • ECM Technologies Wins ‘Most Innovative Business of the Year’ Award

    HVAC preventative maintenance and efficiency solutions provider ECM Technologies was recently named the “Most Innovative Business of the Year” at the 2025 Champions of Change Awards, according to a news release. The program recognizes Arizona business leaders and organizations taking steps to make a positive impact on the state through innovative thinking and philanthropy.

Digital Edition