Volunteer Search and Rescue

[bsartist]

What’s the story if local drone hobbyists wanted to volunteer to put their drones in service for an emergency volunteer effort to search for lost persons or aircraft wreckage? Could this be coordinated without part 107 certifications? Similar to ham radio ops, seems like we could provide a useful service. If properly coordinated.

 

[Richard R]

Yes, you could provide a useful service, but it has been well established in previous threads that such service would be a non-hobby activity and would absoultely require a part 107 license.

 

[BigAl07]

While it sounds like your intent is good, the FAA has made it abundantly clear that anything outside of one's own personal recreation does require Part 107 or a Public Use COA. There is no way for a SAR mission to be hobby/recreational because you are well outside the SCOPE of Part 336 in every way. Even if you are donating your time it is still not hobby.

I want to take a moment and mention that working with SAR is a lot more than showing up on scene, pulling out your UAS, and flying looking for the person wandering around. There is so much training, special equipment, personal equipment, and emotional preparedness that we much perform in order to be an efficient and self supporting part of a successful UAS/SAR team.

Training: A) We train at least 18hrs a year with the local Incident Management Team. B) We are required to have a min of ISC100, 200, 300, 400 to be on the team C) We have to attend at least 6 classes annually. If you can't integrate within the team and "speak their language" (which is NIMS/ICS training as noted above) you are not only being inefficient you are slowing the team down and using resources that should be going to find/save the victim. It's a finely tuned and maintained machine when everyone is on the same page.

Special Equipment: A) We have to provide multiple SD cards (and be prepared to not get them back, at least not anytime soon) in order to be able to process the DATA and fly at the same time. In some cases our DATA becomes evidence and will have to remain with LEA in order to maintain Chain of Custody. B) SD card readers/laptop for DATA transfer. C) Live Streaming capability without Cellular Connection. D) Ability to charge/recharge our aircraft power, transmitter, streaming devices, cell phone, and 2-way radios. Our goal is to be operational for 12hour shifts for up to 14 days.

Personal Equipment: A) Have enough clothing, food/water, and personal shelter for a min of 24hrs with potential for 14 days (after 24hrs shelter, food, water etc will arrive on-scene). When we are first called out we have to be self sustaining for 24hrs. B) Make sure you have the right clothes/gear for around the clock operations. Even when we aren't flying (operational but staged) we have to stay warm, dry, and protected. This could mean boots, gloves, rain gear, or whatever the current conditions mean.

Emotional Preparedness: This one is very multifaceted. A) Obviously we have the "what if you see something horrible" preparedness. You can't UNSEE some of the things we encounter on-scene. We have resources to help us "cope" with this type of situation. First Responder Suicide is an epidemic around the world and no one wants to add to that statistic. B) Being able to interact with the subject's family in a way that doesn't give them false hope/grief is a tough one. Also learning how to deal with the Media is a whole new ball of wax. They are smart and will try to get you to say things by accident in order to get more details than they should know. C) being away from your family for days at a time with limited connectivity (sometimes no Cellular Service). D) Being away from work/social life for days on end. Sometimes it's hard to miss FUN and FAMILY events and not everyone understands why we are doing this.

I could go on and on about this and I don't mean to make it seem DOOM & Gloom but it's never a walk in the park. We are out there helping people in some of the worst moments of their lives. Unfortunately this usually happens at the worst possible time with horrible weather.

 

[BigAl07]

Here is a direct quote from
National Search and Rescue Committee Letter of Promulgation Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Search and Rescue (SAR) Addendum (Version 1.0) to the National Search and Rescue Supplement Washington, D.C. July, 2016

Hobbyists are not required to obtain a COA, but are restricted to operations “strictly for hobby or recreational use,” which precludes SAR.

 

[bsartist]

While it sounds like your intent is good, the FAA has made it abundantly clear that anything outside of one's own personal recreation does require Part 107 or a Public Use COA. There is no way for a SAR mission to be hobby/recreational because you are well outside the SCOPE of Part 336 in every way. Even if you are donating your time it is still not hobby.

I want to take a moment and mention that working with SAR is a lot more than showing up on scene, pulling out your UAS, and flying looking for the person wandering around. There is so much training, special equipment, personal equipment, and emotional preparedness that we much perform in order to be an efficient and self supporting part of a successful UAS/SAR team.

Training: A) We train at least 18hrs a year with the local Incident Management Team. B) We are required to have a min of ISC100, 200, 300, 400 to be on the team C) We have to attend at least 6 classes annually. If you can't integrate within the team and "speak their language" (which is NIMS/ICS training as noted above) you are not only being inefficient you are slowing the team down and using resources that should be going to find/save the victim. It's a finely tuned and maintained machine when everyone is on the same page.

Special Equipment: A) We have to provide multiple SD cards (and be prepared to not get them back, at least not anytime soon) in order to be able to process the DATA and fly at the same time. In some cases our DATA becomes evidence and will have to remain with LEA in order to maintain Chain of Custody. B) SD card readers/laptop for DATA transfer. C) Live Streaming capability without Cellular Connection. D) Ability to charge/recharge our aircraft power, transmitter, streaming devices, cell phone, and 2-way radios. Our goal is to be operational for 12hour shifts for up to 14 days.

Personal Equipment: A) Have enough clothing, food/water, and personal shelter for a min of 24hrs with potential for 14 days (after 24hrs shelter, food, water etc will arrive on-scene). When we are first called out we have to be self sustaining for 24hrs. B) Make sure you have the right clothes/gear for around the clock operations. Even when we aren't flying (operational but staged) we have to stay warm, dry, and protected. This could mean boots, gloves, rain gear, or whatever the current conditions mean.

Emotional Preparedness: This one is very multifaceted. A) Obviously we have the "what if you see something horrible" preparedness. You can't UNSEE some of the things we encounter on-scene. We have resources to help us "cope" with this type of situation. First Responder Suicide is an epidemic around the world and no one wants to add to that statistic. B) Being able to interact with the subject's family in a way that doesn't give them false hope/grief is a tough one. Also learning how to deal with the Media is a whole new ball of wax. They are smart and will try to get you to say things by accident in order to get more details than they should know. C) being away from your family for days at a time with limited connectivity (sometimes no Cellular Service). D) Being away from work/social life for days on end. Sometimes it's hard to miss FUN and FAMILY events and not everyone understands why we are doing this.

I could go on and on about this and I don't mean to make it seem DOOM & Gloom but it's never a walk in the park. We are out there helping people in some of the worst moments of their lives. Unfortunately this usually happens at the worst possible time with horrible weather.

Thanks for the thorough response. For a number of years I volunteered for Homeland security/United States Coast Guard. While no longer active, I’m pretty well versed in NIMS and have taken numerous ICS courses and have participated in and coordinated interagency participation in mass casualty drills and the like. As an amateur radio operator I’m also familiar with the use of volunteers during emergency response operations. While my question was indeed short on details, I didn’t mean to imply that I was a kid looking to show up with my friends and a few drones. When I said “properly coordinated” that was shorthand for whatever is necessary to properly integrate into any incident response team. I wouldn’t preclude necessary training and drills for any volunteers willing to take such a role seriously. I was asking here, on a drone forum, about part 107 applicability and I have that answer now. Thank you. Having said all that, I have my doubts that ICS300 and 400 should be required training for all volunteer resources. Although 100,200 I agree. And I’d add 700.

 

[dclifton]

I’ve worked with Water Search and Rescue (all volunteer) out of Beaufort, SC for 25 years... I would say yes... under certain conditions and restrictions, ... best bet is to check with your local Emergency Management office. If that is approved... then it will be up to the incident commander on-scene....Also, keep in mind in a lot of SAR, especially in open areas.. water... marsh, etc. other responding agencies will prob be using air assets... CG and law enforcement aircraft flying in abnormal areas and altitudes... an untrained civilian drone operator would prob be approved and welcomed in cases where official search and rescue has been suspended and search and recovery is the mission continued without air support.

 

[bsartist]

I’ve worked with Water Search and Rescue (all volunteer) out of Beaufort, SC for 25 years... I would say yes... under certain conditions and restrictions, ... best bet is to check with your local Emergency Management office. If that is approved... then it will be up to the incident commander on-scene....Also, keep in mind in a lot of SAR, especially in open areas.. water... marsh, etc. other responding agencies will prob be using air assets... CG and law enforcement aircraft flying in abnormal areas and altitudes... an untrained civilian drone operator would prob be approved and welcomed in cases where official search and rescue has been suspended and search and recovery is the mission continued without air support.

Excellent point about the recovery vs rescue. Thanks.

 

[dclifton]

[emoji51]

 

[BigAl07]

... an untrained civilian drone operator would prob be approved and welcomed in cases where official search and rescue has been suspended and search and recovery is the mission continued without air support.

Both are excellent replies. But the caveat still remains that no form of SAR (rescue, recovery, Situ Awareness etc) falls under the Hobby/Recreational umbrella. The moment you are "doing something" for someone else (regardless of compensation etc) you have exited the Hobby/336 box and must operate under a Public Use COA or Part 107. We are ALL Civil Operators (it's an all encompassing circle) unless you are flying under a Public Use COA (and that's a whole other ball of wax to digest and outside the scope of this thread). Congress mandated a "Carve Out" of the Civil Operations for Hobby/336 Operations. Think of 336 as a "Invisible Force Field/Bubble" that protects hobbyist from Part 107 regulations. As long as you fit the definition of 336/Hobbyist perfectly you are protected by this bubble. If any portion of your flight pierces this bubble you are subject to Part 107 regulations which are codified into US Law.

@bsartist I made an error in my NIMS comment. To be on our IMT we require ICS 100, 200, 300, 400, 700, 800. We don't have/allow people not on our team to be a part of our Aviation Division in regards to sUAS. That's not my call but from much higher than my pay grade. If someone not on our team were to come and wish to "fly" with us the "National" NIMS requirement is (North Carolina requires the same on a state level which we mirror on a local level except the last part) is what they would have to meet:

Resource Typing Definition for Response Situational Assessment​

REMOTE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (RPIC)
Completion of the following:
1. IS-100: Introduction to the Incident Command System, ICS-100
2. IS-200: Incident Command System for Single Resource and Initial Action Incidents
3. IS-700: National Incident Management System, An Introduction
4. IS-800: National Response Framework, An Introduction
5. Hazardous materials awareness training, such as: a. Training in accordance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1910.120: Hazardous Materials Awareness, OR b. IS-5.A: An Introduction to Hazardous Materials, AND IS-3: Radiological Emergency Management

TECHNICAL SPECIALIST–UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM
Completion of the following:
1. IS-100: Introduction to the Incident Command System, ICS-100
2. IS-200: Incident Command System for Single Resource and Initial Action Incidents
3. IS-700: National Incident Management System, An Introduction
4. IS-800: National Response Framework, An Introduction
5. Hazardous materials awareness training, such as: a. Training in accordance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1910.120: Hazardous Materials Awareness, OR b. IS-5.A: An Introduction to Hazardous Materials, AND IS-3: Radiological Emergency Management

In addition to the credentials above there are other requirement for each position but I wanted to correct my mistake above and provide documentation to what is the correct answer.

 

[bsartist]

But the caveat still remains that no form of SAR (rescue, recovery, Situ Awareness etc) falls under the Hobby/Recreational umbrella. The moment you are "doing something" for someone else (regardless of compensation etc) you have exited the Hobby/336 box...

Yes I got that point already. Not disputed.

I made an error in my NIMS comment. To be on our IMT we require ICS 100, 200, 300, 400, 700, 800. We don't have/allow people not on our team to be a part of our Aviation Division in regards to sUAS...

I understand the requirements you must abide by in your case. They are extensive and impressive. At the same time, I am not totally convinced that all of those requirements would be necessary for all types of volunteer resources. For example, requirements for ICS courses related to management and command might not be necessary in every case such as volunteer resources as a leaf on the tree not charged with management. I can imagine some localities may have less rigorous requirements for those not as tightly coupled with the team but act as directed resources. I’m not saying I’m suggesting that for remote pilots but I feel that your description, while thorough and impressive, may be a bit general and might not apply if I were to, for example, contact my local OEM or some such and offer tangential services.

Nonetheless this is beyond the scope of my initial question about part 107 which has been answered in quite complete detail. When I pass the part 107 exam and get my remote pilot certificate, I can check with my local incident response teams to see what their level of interest is and what they require for training etc. But I didn’t want to do that unless and until I have my certification if required.

Thanks for the info.

 

[sar104]

Yes I got that point already. Not disputed.



I understand the requirements you must abide by in your case. They are extensive and impressive. At the same time, I am not totally convinced that all of those requirements would be necessary for all types of volunteer resources. For example, requirements for ICS courses related to management and command might not be necessary in every case such as volunteer resources as a leaf on the tree not charged with management. I can imagine some localities may have less rigorous requirements for those not as tightly coupled with the team but act as directed resources. I’m not saying I’m suggesting that for remote pilots but I feel that your description, while thorough and impressive, may be a bit general and might not apply if I were to, for example, contact my local OEM or some such and offer tangential services.

Nonetheless this is beyond the scope of my initial question about part 107 which has been answered in quite complete detail. When I pass the part 107 exam and get my remote pilot certificate, I can check with my local incident response teams to see what their level of interest is and what they require for training etc. But I didn’t want to do that unless and until I have my certification if required.

Thanks for the info.

This varies by state. In New Mexico, where all SAR activity falls under DPS/State Police there is no requirement for non-IC staff to have ICS training, although 100 and 200 are encouraged.

 

[weldor]

What do we need to do to get these rules rewritten?

It is totally ridicules to have the rules written that prohibit one person from helping another or organization in times of need. Their reasoning as to what qualifies as commercial is wrong. If you are not making money off the operation is should be in the hobby class.

I am a fairly new drone pilot and there is no way at my age 72 I can afford to take a test and pay for the privilege of taking a few photos to help out a neighbor or organization.

 

[sar104]

What do we need to do to get these rules rewritten?

It is totally ridicules to have the rules written that prohibit one person from helping another or organization in times of need. Their reasoning as to what qualifies as commercial is wrong. If you are not making money off the operation is should be in the hobby class.

I am a fairly new drone pilot and there is no way at my age 72 I can afford to take a test and pay for the privilege of taking a few photos to help out a neighbor or organization.

They are not going to be re-written in the direction that you want. Even the strict hobby exemption from Part 107 was implemented reluctantly as a result of Congress yielding to lobbying. If anything the rules will tighten, not loosen, at least in the short term until technological advances mitigate the safety risk of large numbers of untrained, unqualified drone operators blundering around in the NAS.