Drone Use & Procedures

All SCU and third‑party RPICs must:

• Hold an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate
• Be age 19+
• Pass TSA vetting (FAA requirement)
• Be physically & mentally fit to fly
• Know SCU airspace constraints

All drones used for SCU operations must:

• Be registered in FAA DroneZone:  https://faadronezone-access.faa.gov/#/
• Display FAA registration number
• Be airworthy and maintained
• Have documentation available (logs, manuals, firmware)
• Be listed in the SCU internal drone registry [add details for how this is done]

Autonomous or autopilot missions require prior approval (default = prohibited).

SCU is adjacent to San José International Airport (SJC) Class C airspace. Therefore:

• LAANC authorization is required when available.
• DroneZone airspace authorization is required when:
• LAANC is not available, OR
• Flight altitude exceeds LAANC grid limits.

Proof of airspace authorization must be uploaded with the SCU Flight Request - fliers will be asked for this in the Request Form. Reference the SJC Airspace Map for allowable altitudes. All flights must comply with the FAA-published grid for the exact SCU location.

FAA Part 107 Requirements

Pilots must:

• Maintain visual line of sight (VLOS)
• Yield to crewed aircraft
• Fly only within FAA-approved altitude limits for the specific location
• Perform a pre-flight inspection
• Not fly from a moving vehicle

SCU Additional Rules

Unless expressly authorized by SCU in advance, flights may not occur:

• Over residence halls, classrooms, administrative buildings
• Over SCU events, athletics areas, or crowds 
• In interior courtyards 
• Over private property adjacent to campus, including University housing, and surrounding neighborhoods

• In surveillance of or recording in spaces or areas in which there is a reasonable expectation of privacy (e.g. restrooms, residence halls, locker rooms, medical areas)
• Near areas with minors present Without an approved flight plan
• For any use that violates federal, state, or local laws or SCU policy

Environmental rules:

• Daylight only
• No strong winds, rain, smoke, or unsafe weather
• RPIC must have battery and lost‑link plans

A simple safety plan must be in place and include:

• Map/diagram of flight area
• Flight path + altitude
• Airspace classification and required FAA authorization
• RPIC + Visual Observer information
• Battery and emergency procedures
• Crowd control and weather assessment

Day‑of-flight:

• RPIC briefs all participants
• Campus Safety notified per form instructions
• Approved authorization available at site

Immediately, and in no event longer than 24 hours from the flight, report any accident, near‑miss, flyaway, damage, or FAA‑reportable event to:

• Risk Management
• Robotics Engineering
• Campus Safety

FAA reporting thresholds apply for serious injury or $500+ property damage.

Before operating on campus, third parties, working with a sponsoring department, must 

1. Enter into an appropriate agreement for the approved flight, which shall include indemnification and other appropriate provisions.  For more information, please contact SCU’s Office of General Counsel. Work with the Risk Management Department to 
   1. Ensure all requirements are met via the SCU Flight Request Form, including
      • FAA Part 107 RPIC certification
      • FAA DroneZone registration for each aircraft 
   2. Meet SCU insurance requirements, including:
      • Aviation liability insurance: minimum $1M per occurrence
      • Workers’ compensation (if applicable)
      • Additional insured endorsement naming “Santa Clara University, its trustees, officers, employees, and agents”
      • Drone-specific coverage (hull, UAS liability) strongly preferred. Risk Management reserves the right to increase limits for higher-risk operations.
2. Third-party operators may not self-deploy and must be escorted by the sponsoring SCU department.

Drone operations conducted off campus for SCU-sponsored academic, research, or operational purposes are not subject to SCU flight approval requirements.

However, such operations must:

• Be conducted in compliance with all applicable FAA regulations and local laws
• Be operated by an FAA Part 107-certified Remote Pilot in Command when conducted on behalf of SCU
• Follow the safety principles outlined in this Policy

Departments and faculty are responsible for ensuring appropriate oversight of off-campus operations.

SCU reserves the right to require review or documentation for higher-risk off-campus operations (e.g., operations over people, public events, or complex environments).