Adams County coordinating with state, FBI and FAA on drone sightings as officials monitor poultry disease reports

Adams County emergency-management and public-safety officials told commissioners they are coordinating with state partners, the FBI and the Federal Aviation Administration after a spate of drone sightings in the southern part of the county and neighboring jurisdictions.

Barb, who presented the update, said the county has been on frequent calls with state agencies, the FBI and the FAA and that the state provided guidance and a template message the county is using to inform the public. She said the county and nearby jurisdictions deployed sensors and driven search patterns so investigators can triangulate flights and locate operators when callers provide a location. Dispatch has been instructed to keep a running log of calls and to send updates twice daily to emergency management, Barb said.

Officials said most reported drones so far have appeared over private property and that law enforcement follow-up has located many flights over private yards. State, FBI and FAA personnel placed temporary sensors in Adams and neighboring counties to attempt to trace flight origins when calls provide a location. Barb said county personnel would keep the commission and the public updated after a scheduled coordination meeting with state and federal partners.

Meeting participants discussed concerns about public safety, the risk to manned aircraft such as medical helicopters, and the legal consequences of shooting at drones. The county's presenter cautioned that shooting a drone or attempting to bring it down is a federal crime in many circumstances and can carry severe penalties; she said reports indicated some residents in the county's southern area discussed organizing to "find them and shoot them," and she urged people to let law enforcement handle the incidents.

Speakers also discussed the concurrent poultry-disease (avian influenza) reports in the region. Barb said any suggested correlation between drone activity and bird-flu cases is presently "guessing" and that investigators continue to work with state animal-health officials. She said the state is handling laboratory-confirmed animal cases and that the county is sharing information from dispatch with state partners.

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Officials asked residents to report drone sightings with photos or video where possible, to avoid interfering with suspected drone operations, and to forward any evidence to law enforcement for investigation. The county will continue multiagency coordination and will provide updates after its next scheduled partner meeting.