Easier said than drone: the use of sUAVs in environmental investigations.

In September 2015 the United States (U.S.) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) started issuing exemptions that allow for the commercial use of small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (sUAVs), more commonly known as drones, in U.S. airspace. Many environmental professionals rejoiced at the thought of being able to use drones in their investigations, until they discovered the stringent requirements that the FAA placed on commercial sUAV operators, including needing a pilot’s license to operate an unmanned aircraft. This presentation will follow the path of one environmental professional in the quest to become FAA compliant, introduce participants to the technology being built into today’s sUAVs, and display examples of how drones are going to be a game changer for environmental investigations.