A few days ago, UK adopted a new drone policy for the safety of the university community. 

According to UKNow, UK announced the policy on Wednesday regarding drone and unmanned aircraft systems. Hobbyist and recreational drone use is prohibited on campus and to fly drones with the purposes of research or instruction, the operator must have consent from UK’s event management office. 

The policy further prohibits recreational drone and UAS use on all UK-owned property, which includes the main campus, farms the university owns and operates and Coldstream Research Park. These objects must also not fly within five miles of helipads or airports; there is one heliport at UK HealthCare’s A.B. Chandler Hospital. Use of drones and UAS near Commonwealth Stadium is specifically prohibited in the policy. 

All commercial drones and UAS must be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration before seeking permission from UK to fly the object. Users of commercial drones and UAS must apply for permission from UK at least seven days before their event. 

During UK’s first football game last September, a UK law student’s drone fell on the field. The student made a plead deal and his charges were reduced from second-degree wanton endangerment to third-degree criminal trespassing, which is comparable to a parking ticket. 

Read the rest of the story at uknow.uky.edu.