New Drone Policy for Local Agencies","headline":"Riverside County Considers New Drone Policy for Local Agencies","description":"The Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on the measure during its meeting on Tuesday morning.","image":"https://fueltools-prod01-public.fuelmedia.io/850b1730-09d2-44a7-bb6a-504c205fd228/20251007/3964ddd2-263c-414c-999a-10d53dea3df4/thumbnail.png","thumbnailUrl":["https://fueltools-prod01-public.fuelmedia.io/850b1730-09d2-44a7-bb6a-504c205fd228/20251007/3964ddd2-263c-414c-999a-10d53dea3df4/thumbnail.png"],"uploadDate":"2025-10-07T08:30:00-07:00","datePublished":"2025-10-07T08:30:00-07:00","dateModified":"2025-10-07T08:30:00-07:00","contentUrl":"https://nbcpalmsprings.com/2025/10/07/riverside-county-considers-new-drone-policy-for-local-agencies","author":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NBC Palm Springs","url":"https://nbcpalmsprings.com"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NBC Palm Springs","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://nbcpalmsprings.com/icon.svg"}},"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://nbcpalmsprings.com/2025/10/07/riverside-county-considers-new-drone-policy-for-local-agencies"}}19:T5f9,

Riverside County leaders are set to vote on a proposal Tuesday that would establish standardized regulations for how county agencies operate unmanned aerial systems.

The Board of Supervisors will consider Policy A-76, which would require every county department using drones to develop its own operational guidelines within 60 days of approval. The move comes as drones have become increasingly common tools for search and rescue missions, wildfire surveys, and other county operations.

Under the proposed policy, each department would need to ensure compliance with Federal Aviation Administration Part 107 regulations, which govern pilot certification, airspace safety, and equipment maintenance. Agencies would also be required to:

Define when and how drones can be used during day and night operations
Establish