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Board approves revised drone policy and allows police docking site after heated public debate
Summary
After extended public comment and board deliberations about surveillance, data security and oversight, the Waterford School District board narrowly approved updates to its small unmanned aircraft systems policy (4–3) and voted 5–2 to grant a revocable license allowing the Waterford Township Police Department to place a docking station on the district transportation building rooftop.
The Waterford School District Board of Education voted Tuesday to adopt a revised policy governing small unmanned aircraft systems and to grant a revocable license allowing the Charter Township of Waterford Police Department to use a defined portion of the district transportation building rooftop as a launch and recovery site for police drones.
Superintendent Adam Martin opened the discussion by framing the license as limited: the rooftop is an ancillary transportation facility (not a student-occupied building), the district will receive no financial compensation, and the agreement can be terminated by the district with 60 days’ written notice. Chief Underwood of the Waterford Police Department told trustees the department has FAA approval to operate as a public safety agency, has trained and FAA-certified pilots, and cited examples from other jurisdictions where drone-first-responder systems improved…
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