Policy Order O-5

WHEREAS: Drones, otherwise known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are becoming cheaper to acquire, more powerful in their capabilities and increasingly popular with hobbyists, businesses and governments for both amusement and observation purposes; and

WHEREAS: The use of drones, which can weigh more than 20 pounds, over a densely populated City such as Cambridge raises privacy, trespass and nuisance while posing a possible hazard to public safety; and

WHEREAS: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does not clearly prohibit much use of drones under 400' and this lack of clarity leads to confusion over how and where drones can be used in Cambridge, what sorts of restrictions apply to their use and what types of safety and insurance requirements drone operators must have; now therefore be it

ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with relevant City staff to review drone use in Cambridge for use in developing a City regulation or Ordinance on such use.  Specific issues for the Manager to consider include, but not be limited to,

ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council on this issue.