Advisory group hears update on drone activity; county staff to brief board before public rollout

Board members discussed drone activity and the need for county coordination and policy as recreational and operational drones increase.

Speaker 5 asked whether the board had been briefed on drone activity, training and operations. County staff said there have been internal discussions but no public roll-out; "we're not at the point where we're ready to roll anything out in front of a board meeting yet," staff said, adding that the advisory group will be briefed first when substantive materials are ready.

Participants noted current local use of drones by law enforcement. "Santa Rosa is using it as well," Speaker 5 said, referring to the sheriff's office. Staff also said county departments such as surveying, engineering and GIS could benefit from drone capabilities but stressed the need to define internal parameters, equipment requirements and usage protocols before wider deployment.

Why it matters: drones present both operational benefits (surveys, GIS, engineering) and public-safety concerns when they operate near airports. Staff committed to return with more substantive proposals for the advisory group to review before any county commission action.