BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT:
Title
Proposed Pilot Project for Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Land Surveying and Mapping Activities (County-wide).
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Authorize staff to implement a 6-month pilot project for using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in land surveying and mapping activities.
Body
SUMMARY:
At the Board meeting on December 19, 2017, the Board directed staff to develop a pilot project for using UAV in land surveying and mapping activities for the Board consideration. In developing the pilot project, staff outreached to the community and other agencies regarding the use of UAV in land surveying and mapping activities.
The technology of UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) has advanced to the point that UAVs can provide cost effective survey grade data along with many other less precise and less accurate uses. UAVs can provide high resolution photographic and video documentation for various District needs such as locating trash accumulations in creeks, assisting inspection of building rooftops, collecting information for facility inspection and construction site inspection, collecting field information for documentation or reporting, assisting in post-event monitoring of facilities, and providing survey grade mapping and photogrammetry.
There are three key issues concerning UAV use at the District. First, the use of UAVs is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the State of California, county, special districts, or cities may also have restrictions on the use of UAVs. Second, there are community concerns about invasion of privacy related to the use of UAVs. And last, is how the use of UAVs can be established and managed effectively at the District.
Scope of UAV Pilot Program
The pilot project will be administered and implemented by the Land Surveying and Mapping Unit (LSMU) for District land surveying and mapping activities. This will allow complete control of all UAV and their assigned uses,...
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