Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency staff previewed a proposed rule permitting use of drones only to find and recover deer believed to be mortally wounded or dead, saying the measure responds to recent state legislation and will be voted on at the January commission meeting in Dyersburg.

TWRA Colonel Dale Grandstaff said the General Assembly authorized drone use for recovery with an effective date of 08/01/2026 and emphasized the agency’s intent to limit operations. “This is a rule preview for drones for deer recovery,” he said, adding the presentation was informational and no vote was taken at the December meeting.

The draft rule narrows permitted use to cases where traditional tracking has failed and the hunter reasonably believes the animal is mortally wounded or dead. Grandstaff described a time window for operations — “we're proposing drones used 30 minutes after sunset to midnight” — and said pilots must hold a current FAA remote pilot certificate. Drones must be operated only over property where the hunter has permission and be equipped with thermal imaging and a light source to verify the animal’s condition.

To help the public find paid recovery services and to give TWRA data for future rule‑making, Grandstaff proposed a one‑time, no‑fee ReadyOp registration for commercial pilots that would collect contact information, remote pilot certificate number and an intended operating region. He asked pilots to submit brief pre‑ and post‑recovery reports (including TWID where available), noting the agency wants information on whether a deer was located and whether it was dead or alive.

Commissioners raised operational and compliance concerns. Commissioner Greg Davenport asked why the rule ends at midnight; Grandstaff and industry panelists said an earlier cutoff reduces the risk that drone-detected animals could be harvested at first light. Commissioner Chip Saltzman and others pressed agency staff to simplify paperwork and registration, warning that cumbersome forms could push hunters to operate privately without registration.

TWRA staff also noted an elk recovery exception: with a wildlife manager’s permission, a drone may be authorized to recover elk on public land during elk quota hunts. The public comment period for the draft rule is open (Nov. 10–Dec. 26), and the commission plans a final hearing and vote in January in Dyersburg.

Next steps: the commission will accept comments through the stated public comment period and consider the rule for final adoption at the January meeting.