MayJune Associate Magazine.2018.FINAL

M AY 2 0 1 8 J U N E PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS WHEN DEVELOPING AN UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEM (UAS) PROGRAM www.fbinaa.org

Dave Ellis

The purpose of this paper is to serve as an article submission to the FBI- NAA magazine regarding considerations that should be made prior to the development of an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) program. I currently serve as the Western Region Director for the Airborne Law Enforcement As- sociation, and helped create the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Air Support Unit (which operates three helicopters, and is in the process of acquiring two UAS). With the acquisition cost for UAS dropping to the levels where almost every agency can now operate an aerial asset, it is important that those agencies who are not familiar with airborne law enforcement, make wise choices prior to the implementation of a UAS program.

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