Is Your Agency Ready to Build or Scale a Drone Program?
Take the First Responder Drone Program Readiness Quiz to identify your agency’s next step: Part 107, hands-on flight training, SAR, tactical/SWAT operations, DFR, Shielded Operations, waiver support, or full program implementation
A Drone Program Is More Than a Drone
Public safety drone programs are no longer just about buying drones or getting a few pilots certified. As agencies move into search and rescue, tactical response, DFR, Shielded Operations, and BVLOS, they need a clear operating model: training, SOPs, regulatory pathway planning, documentation, risk management, and recurrent proficiency.
Who Should Use This Checklist?
This checklist is designed for:
Police departments
Sheriff’s offices
Fire departments
EMS agencies
Emergency management teams
Search and rescue organizations
Public safety UAS teams
Agencies evaluating DFR or Shielded Operations
Departments deciding between Part 91 and Part 107
Command staff evaluating drone program expansion
Whether your agency has no drone program yet or is preparing for advanced BVLOS operations, these questions will help clarify your next step.
First Responder Drone Program Readiness Quiz
Use these questions to evaluate where your agency is today
-
A. We are still defining use cases.
B. We know our main use cases but have not mapped training to each one.
C. We have defined missions, call types, equipment needs, and training requirements. -
A. We are not sure whether we should operate under Part 107 or Part 91.
B. We have a general idea but need help confirming the right path.
C. We understand our Part 107 / Part 91 pathway and how it affects training, waivers, and liability. -
A. No pilots are certified yet.
B. Some pilots are certified, but not all team members have a common baseline.
C. Our pilots have a regulatory knowledge baseline and understand airspace, weather, night operations, and operational limitations. -
A. We do not have a formal flight proficiency process.
B. We practice, but we do not use structured testing or documentation.
C. We use structured hands-on evaluation, scenario training, and recurrent proficiency checks. -
A. We are not yet trained for SAR, thermal, tactical, or SWAT missions.
B. We have some experience but need structured scenario-based training.
C. We have mission-specific training and documented procedures. -
A. We are curious but do not know where to start.
B. We are actively researching DFR, Shielded Operations, or waivers.
C. We are preparing for implementation and need help with readiness, SOPs, training, or waiver support. -
A. No formal SOPs yet.
B. We have basic policies but they may not match real-world operations.
C. We have SOPs, training records, maintenance records, waiver documentation, and emergency procedures. -
A. We do not have recurrent training or community communication plans.
B. We have some recurring training or public-facing materials, but they need improvement.
C. We have recurrent training, documentation, privacy/data policies, and a clear public explanation of the program.
Your agency may need Part 107 training, basic program planning, pilot selection, hands-on flight training, and initial SOPs. Start with the basics.
Recommended next step:
Part 107 + Hands-On Public Safety Drone Training
Results
Your agency likely has a foundation but needs stronger operational capability: NIST-based proficiency, SAR, thermal, tactical/SWAT, night operations, and recurrent training.
Recommended next step:
Hands-On, SAR, Tactical & Recurrent Drone Training
Your agency may be ready to evaluate DFR, Shielded Operations, BVLOS, Part 91/Part 107 pathway planning, waiver support, SOPs, and program implementation.
Recommended next step:
DFR/Shielded Operations Readiness Consultation
Why an aviation mindset matters
DFR and advanced public safety drone operations require more than waiver approval or drone hardware. Jason Damman, Chief Pilot and co-owner of V1DroneMedia, recently wrote for Police1 about why DFR programs need aviation-level structure, including training, SOPs, crew coordination, risk management, abnormal procedure practice, and recurrent proficiency.
Read Jason Damman’s Police1 article on aviation-minded DFR programs
Want to review this with your command staff or UAS team?
Get the Printable Checklist
Not sure which stage your agency is in?
Schedule a readiness consultation and we’ll help you identify the right next step.