UAS-Unmanned Aerial System

Mission:

The mission of the Placer County Sheriff’s Office U.A.S. program is to be a resource to protect lives and property of citizens and first responders of the County of Placer in a constitutionally and legally sound manner, while in adherence with Federal Aviation Administration (F.A.A.) regulations.

Overview:

Small remotely operated Unmanned Aerial Systems (U.A.S.), also commonly referred to as drones, are an efficient and effective way of providing law enforcement services to the community. Some examples of U.A.S. usage are emergency situations that necessitate aerial viewing of a dangerous location for both the deputy’s and the public’s safety, Search and Rescue situations where lost or injured citizens need to be located quickly in the mountainous areas of Placer County, remote viewing of explosive devices in support of the Explosives Ordinance Detail, in support of fire services during wildfire events, and for detailed preservation and documentation of crime scenes.

It is important to note that, out of respect for civil liberties and personal privacy of the citizens of Placer County, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office U.A.S. policy specifically prohibits the use of the U.A.S. for general surveillance or general patrol operations.

U.A.S. Equipment:

The Placer County Sheriff’s Office U.A.S. program will use the DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual (M2ED) U.A.S. The M2ED is the enterprise variant of the commonly available Mavic 2 used by hobbyists today. The M2ED weighs less than two pounds, and it’s body is 8.5 inches in length. A small speaker can be added to communicate with a subject below, or a small LED light can be added to aid in nighttime operations. The M2ED has a fixed zoom visual camera and a fixed zoom thermal camera.

Link to U.A.S. Policy Manual