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TEES Impact

Drones

Unmanned Aircraft Systems 

The Texas A&M University System Office and the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) require that all unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) be placed on inventory and assigned an asset number, regardless of their dollar value.

Inventory Asset Number

  • Unmanned aircraft systems that cost  $0-$4,999.99 should be coded  5784.
  • Unmanned aircraft systems that cost  $5,000 or more should be coded  8431.

When completing a preliminary fixed asset for a UAS, ensure that you include a detailed description of the asset, along with its model and serial number. This information is vital for tracking these types of assets.

Own one of these aircraft? Please contact the TEES Property Office to confirm we have it in inventory.

Registration

As of Dec. 21, 2015, a UAS weighing more than .55 pounds (250 grams or 8.8 oz) up to 55 pounds is required to be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The cost to register your drone is $5.00. See FAA drone registration information. Note the differences between paper registration and electronic registration.

Once you have registered your UAS, please send a copy of the Small UAS Certificate of Registration you receive from the FAA to the TEES Property Office at mail stop 3124, or via email to  jcaddel@tamu.edu. It can be kept on file with the asset documentation. Additionally, the FAMIS/Canopy fixed-asset record will be updated with the assigned registered number.

License to Operate

Effective Aug. 29, 2016, the new pilot and operating rules are:

A person operating a small UAS must either hold a remote pilot airman certificate with a small UAS rating or be under the direct supervision of a person who does hold a remote pilot certificate (remote pilot in command). See information about getting started with your UAS.

Preparing for UAS Flights at Texas A&M University

To ensure safe and compliant drone use on university property and on university business, Texas A&M University has established University Rule, 24.01.07.M0.01, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), which spells out the requirements to oversee safe and compliant UAS activity on or above university property or on university business. 

Due to our proximity to Easterwood Airport, campus properties are in stringently regulated/controlled airspace, which impacts all UAS operations and limits flight ceiling height.

The university’s supervising authority (SA) committee meets monthly to consider application requests. UAS flight request applications must be submitted to the SA Committee for compliance review a minimum of 15 days prior to planned flight operations. Approvals are granted by the designated university SA. Any unapproved UAS/UAV flights are disruptive to university operations and will be referred for appropriate disciplinary action.

NOTE: Texas A&M currently does not permit hobbyist or recreational UAS flights on university properties.

Application Preparation Steps

  1. Familiarize yourself with these Texas A&M-established online referenced requirements and materials:
  1. Go to the UAS Flight Request Application site, complete the online UAS application form, attach your supporting documents, and click “submit.” Note that the system will not allow you to submit incomplete applications.
  2. The supervising authority (SA) committee will evaluate your application request and supporting documents and will contact you with a list of any remaining documents that will be required. Completed applications will be reviewed by UAS staff and placed on the SA Committee agenda for the next monthly meeting.
  3. If your project requires a flight request application that cannot be submitted within the 15-day deadline, please contact UAS staff at the Environmental Health and Safety Department (EHS) to discuss alternative options.
  4. If you will be flying under an FAA Part 107 Certificate of Authorization (CoA) waiver, please submit your request directly to the FAA.
  5. Supporting documentation includes the following, if or as applicable:
    1. FAA Certificate of Authorization or Waiver (CoA); CoA types include:
      1. CoA for General Flight Operations
      2. CoA for Emergency Operations
      3. CoA for National Disaster Response
      4. CoA for Part 107 Waiver(s)
    2. FAA Remote Pilot Certificate
    3. Contingency Management Plan (as a Standard Operating Procedure [SOP])
    4. Mishaps Response Plan (as an SOP)
    5. Mission Brief and Safety Risk Matrix
    6. Project-Specific and Site-Specific Safety Plan
    7. Reportable Accident Report, for the past year and including current flight incidents
    8. UAS Maintenance Plan (as an SOP)
    9. Certificate of Insurance
    10. Liability Waiver(s)
    11. Current contract applicable to the proposed flight activity
    12. UAS on University or System Inventory?
    13. Texas A&M University (TAMU) Inventory Asset Number for UAS(s)
    14. Flight Category:
      1. Part 107 Waiver CoA
      2. Hobbyist or Recreational Flight, including Educational Purpose
    15. Flight Requestor:
      1. Texas A&M University
      2. Texas A&M System
      3. Third Party Vendor or Contractor
      4. Other: __________________________
    16. UAS Flight Location:
      1. Texas A&M Campus Proper:
      2. Texas A&M-RELLIS:
      3. Other TAMUS campus:
      4. TAMUS Agency:
      5. Non-Texas A&M property:
    17. Texas A&M System UAS Flight Request Application completed, with support documents, and submitted to Supervising Authority (SA)
    18. Supervising Authority (SA) Approval, via confirming email from the Texas A&M Vice President for Safety & Security or designated authority
    19. Pedestrian Management Plan (as an SOP)
    20. Photo(s) of each UAS (drone) documenting the exterior installation of the FAA Tail Number
    21. When using the new “Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability” (LAANC) System, capture and provide a screenshot of your LAANC Approval prior to flight(s)
  1. FAA Part 107 Operating Rules (Summary from www.faa.gov/uas):
    1. Unmanned aircraft must weigh less than 55 pounds, including payload, at takeoff
    2. Fly in Class G airspace*
    3. Keep the unmanned aircraft within visual line-of-sight*
    4. Fly at or below 400 feet*
    5. Fly during daylight or civil twilight*
    6. Fly at or under 100 mph*
    7. Yield right of way to manned aircraft*
    8. Do not fly directly over people*
    9. Do not fly from a moving vehicle, unless in a sparsely populated area*
    10. For more detailed operating rules, please see:

*These rules are subject to FAA waiver. 

More Information

For further information on using UAS safely at Texas A&M, please contact the Environmental Health and Safety Department at 979-845-2132 or visit the Unmanned Aerial Systems page on the Texas A&M Environmental Health and Safety website.