In September, the Tacoma, Washington City Council passed Resolution 40658 supporting responsible recreational drone use in Tacoma. The resolution directs the City Manager to establish a point of reference on the city's website connecting Tacoma community members to federally established laws and regulations, as well as recommended best practices.

Ahead of the second National Drone Safety Awareness Week, which takes place Nov. 16 to 22 and will be completely virtual, At-Large Council Member Lillian Hunter and District 1 Council Member John Hines discussed the resolution with Jacqueline Beckwith, manager of Advocacy & Government Relations for AUVSI, and the importance of having rules and regulations in place as this technology continues to proliferate across the country.

Public driven policy

Resolution 40658 was passed following community concerns in Tacoma regarding possibly unsafe drone operations, as well as confusion about federal laws and regulations surrounding recreational drone use. According to Council Member Hunter, a constituent reached out to her and Council Member Hines to see if Tacoma had regulations for drone use after seeing their neighbor’s child flying a drone around the neighborhood.

Fully aware that this technology isn’t going anywhere and will only continue to evolve, the council members set out to learn as much as possible about drones and drone safety, and began to take a look at what the existing rules and regulations were.

No need to re-invent the wheel

Leveraging the rules and regulations already put forth by the FAA, the City Council drafted a resolution and moved forward mimicking current FAA rules and regulations. They also took into account that they shared airspace with their neighbor and partner Joint Base Lewis McChord, so they made sure to be mindful of any potential additional regulations.

Not one for starting from scratch if it isn’t absolutely necessary, Council Member Hunter says that the current FAA rules and regulations in place were the perfect starting point for the resolution.

“I’m very fond of not re-inventing the wheel,” she says.

Education is key

Educational outreach is a big part of the resolution, as the city is making a commitment to reach out to the community and educate people about responsible drone ownership and what it means to be a good neighbor.

Educators at heart, the council members emphasized how important it is to educate people on this nascent technology, especially at a young age.

“As educators, if you didn’t know it, we’re here to help. We’re here to help you with your guidance on that,” Council Member Hunter says.

Council Member Hines add that it’s easier to not learn a habit than to unlearn a habit, so if you get out in front early, you can avoid running into issues down the line.

Being proactive

To other city councils out there that may wish to launch their own drone safety initiative, AUVSI encourages local governments to look at the Tacoma City Council’s experience and resolution and build from there.

Council Member Hines says it’s good to be practical. Instead of crafting a brand-new policy in response to a concern, the Tacoma City Council opted to provide its residents with the information that’s already out there. The issue, Council Member Hines explains, wasn’t that the regulations don’t exist, it’s that people didn’t know where to find them, so the city council sought to make accessing that information easier.

Council Member Hines also notes that as drones become cheaper and cheaper, you’re going to see more of them flying around in the sky, so it’s better to be proactive and get out ahead of any potential issues. This is especially important in the current climate where people have more time on their hands since they’re home more as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

“The more you can do to be prepared and proactive, and educate your citizens, the fewer issues you’re going to have to face down the road,” he says.

Council Member Hines adds that the resolution is a good research tool and starting place, as is the information on the city’s website. As cities and municipalities get started building awareness, they should start early with the educational piece, and inform members of the community that if they’re going to be flying, there are rules and regulations that they need to be aware of, and abide by.

“Information is power, and usually we use that phrase for things that are a little meatier than drones, but it applies here too,” Council Member Hines says. “Know how to be a responsible drone operator.”

Watch the full interview below.