City Wins 2017 ‘Significant Achievement’ Award for UAS Program

The City of Murfreesboro has received a Significant Achievement Award from the Public Technology Institute for the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Program first initiated in 2015. The 2017 Technology Solutions Awards recognizes PTI member local governments nationwide for their use of technology to enhance public service and operations.

Recipients will be presented with their Solutions awards during the PTI CIO and Leadership Summit, September 30- October 2, 2017 in Austin, Texas.  For a full list of the award winners, visitwww.pti.org/news.

“We are pleased to be recognized by the Public Technology Institute for Significant Achievement in developing one of the first government-certified UAS programs in the nation,” said City Information Technology Director Chris Lilly. “The City of Murfreesboro appreciates acknowledgement from PTI for the significant commitment in securing FAA-certification to operate UAS technology.”

In October 2015, the City of Murfreesboro received a Certificate of Authorization (COA) to begin training Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) vehicles by a FAA-certified pilot in Barfield Crescent Park.  Operational certification soon followed.

“UAS technology is growing in uses and applications that make governmental operations more effective, efficient and potentially life-saving,” said City I-T Director Chris Lilly. “The City of Murfreesboro UAS Program secured proper FAA certification to ensure that our UAS operators are appropriately trained and supervised under certified guidelines.”

The City utilizes UAS for a wide range of support services including Water Resources Department surveying, GPS land mapping, fire suppression and searches for missing persons.

“I congratulate PTI member officials who submitted entries for this year’s program,” said Alan Shark, Executive Director of PTI. “At a time when many governments are forced to ‘do more with less,’ these governments are being proactive and often innovative when it comes to applying technology initiatives to solve problems.”

For public aircraft operations, the FAA issues a Certificate of Authorization (COA) that permits public agencies and organizations to operate a particular aircraft, for a particular purpose, in a particular area.  The COA includes a list of policies and procedures for the City’s UAS System operations.  Among the FAA requirements for training, pilots must complete Private Pilot Ground School and pass a knowledge exam.

To maintain safety, the UAS pilot must file a Notice to Airmen known as a NOTAM before flying. The pilot must also have the ability to maintain constant communications with the Murfreesboro Municipal and Nashville International airports during training operations.

Among other policy requirements:

• A Pilot-in-Command (PIC) is the person who has final authority and responsibility for the operation and safety of flight.
• The PIC must conduct a pre-takeoff briefing as applicable prior to each launch.
• All operations will be conducted in compliance with Title 14 CFR Part 91.
• All operations must be conducted in visual meteorological conditions.