Government drones won’t be flying here anytime soon

EVERETT — You’re unlikely to see local governments flying drones in Snohomish County anytime soon. Bill Quistorf, the chief pilot for the sheriff’s office, is advising public agencies in the county to hold off on buying and using drones, at least until the Legislature passes clearer laws. That could happen this year.

Quistorf can’t make rules for anyone outside of county government, but he can give them a heads up on the situation. Government agencies that work in public safety, utilities, transportation and emergency communications all have talked about how drones could help with their duties.

“I’m in a position to help those outside agencies if they have questions or if they’re intending on purchasing an unmanned aircraft system,” he said. “Right now everyone has to follow the federal rules.”

There are too many unanswered legal questions, especially about privacy, he said. In this context, the term “drone” refers to a lightweight airborne device equipped with a camera. That’s different from the type used by the military for missile strikes.

For now, the conversation in Snohomish County is more about using drones to, say, check out damage at a rural bridge, or for a backcountry rescue, than for surveillance in criminal investigations. No local police departments in Snohomish County own a drone, according to an informal survey by The Herald.

“We’re not even close to using it for law enforcement,” Quistorf said. “There are larger hurdles to clear if we have any proposed plan to use it for law enforcement.”

Quistorf, a pilot since 1982, has worked with the Federal Aviation Administration for decades. During major incidents in Snohomish County — such as the Oso mudslide — he helps manage the airspace flight restrictions.

The feds have rules for drones in three categories: hobbyist, commercial and government. Each has its own set of restrictions. For a government to legally use a drone it must submit to a federal approval process that can take at least 60 days, complete with an on-site inspection. That can be expedited for emergencies, such as an earthquake.

“Based on my past experience in dealing with public agencies, they have been confused on what the rules are,” Quistorf said.

Hobbyist drones have been on the market for years now. The price has come down, and more people can afford one.

If a government employee owns a personal drone and flies it on official business, he could be breaking FAA rules, Quistorf said.

If Quistorf finds out any local governments are using a drone, he reaches out and provides information. That happened a few times in 2015, although he’s reluctant to name names.

One agency Quistorf says he talked with was the Snohomish County Emergency Radio System, or SERS. That agency has a drone, but the situation is a bit messy. The former director is under a criminal investigation for allegedly spending public money on purchases for himself, including tons of gravel and two security systems. Detectives found a drone bought with SERS money at the former director’s house. The drone could have been used to inspect emergency radio towers, but it isn’t clear whether that happened.

After word got out about the drone, Quistorf wrote SERS a letter about the county’s current policy.

The drone remains at the Lynnwood Police Department, logged as potential evidence in the criminal case, SERS’ new director, Jon “Wiz” Wiswell, said in an email last week.

“I can see it being useful to SERS, but, as far as I am concerned, we will not deploy it without following all Snohomish County rules, FAA rules, having properly trained operators, getting the buy-in from (Quistorf’s unit), and board approval,” he wrote.

The new state laws governing drones have been pending for at least two years. Quistorf anticipates that public agencies eventually will be required to keep archives of drone flight logs, operator information, aerial photos and videos. All of that information could be disclosable under public records laws.

That raises concerns because drones are likely to capture images of people’s faces, license plates and other data, he said. Those issues need to be sorted out.

“It goes back to privacy issues,” he said. “If you’re recording, there is the potential you inadvertently capture some private citizen’s information.”

After the Legislature tackles the issue, the county’s lawyers are expected to draft recommended policies for county government. Those policies likely would then undergo review by the county executive and the County Council.

Quistorf has helped obtain approval for the emergency use of a drone in Snohomish County just once, after the Oso mudslide. The request had to be supported by the FAA and the incident commander.

Quistorf was approached by a team from Texas A&M University. They offered to use drones to help with geological mapping of the disaster area. They were not allowed to operate until after the active recovery operation wrapped up.

The university’s drones could fly lower and capture high-definition photos and video that were “way beyond any capability we had, any capability anybody in the state had,” Quistorf said.

The drone images showed how the earth was settling and the river was moving. “It was immensely beneficial to the scientific community,” he said.

Others in government also recognize the potential.

The Snohomish County Public Utility District considered getting a drone in 2015, spokesman Neil Neroutsos said.

The footage could be useful for showing customers what’s happening at different sites, especially during emergencies, and explaining how the Jackson Hydroelectric Project works at Spada Lake. A drone also could be used to check on equipment and power lines, Neroutsos said.

“We determined the timing isn’t right at this point,” he said. “We’ve looked at it but we’re waiting to see how some of the regulations shape up.”

Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

More in Local News

Members of South County Fire practice onboarding and offboarding a hovering Huey helicopter during an interagency disaster response training exercise at Arlington Municipal Airport on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Arlington, Washington. The crews learned about and practiced safe entry and exit protocols with crew from Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue before begin given a chance to do a live training. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Snohomish, King counties train together for region’s next disaster

Dozens of agencies worked with aviators Tuesday to coordinate a response to a simulated earthquake or tsunami.

Police stand along Linden Street next to orange cones marking pullet casings in a crime scene of a police involved shooting on Friday, May 19, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lake Stevens man identified in Everett manhunt, deadly police shooting

Travis Hammons, 34, was killed by officers following a search for an armed wanted man in a north Everett neighborhood.

Funko mascots Freddy Funko roll past on a conveyor belt in the Pop! Factory of the company's new flagship store on Aug. 18, 2017.  (Dan Bates / The Herald)
Lawsuit: Funko misled investors about Arizona move

A shareholder claims Funko’s decision to relocate its distribution center from Everett to Arizona was “disastrous.”

Lynnwood
1 stabbed at apartment in Lynnwood

The man, 26, was taken to an Everett hospital with “serious injuries.”

A firefighting helicopter carries a bucket of water from a nearby river to the Bolt Creek Fire on Saturday, Sep. 10, 2022, on U.S. Highway 2 near Index, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Red flag fire warning issued west of Cascades

There are “critical fire weather” conditions due to humidity and wind in the Cascades, according to the National Weather Service.

A house fire damaged two homes around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 6, 2023 in Marysville, Washington. (Photo provided by Marysville Fire District)
Fire burns 2 homes in Marysville, killing 2 dogs

Firefighters responded to a report of a fire north of Lakewood Crossing early Tuesday, finding two houses engulfed in flames.

Everett
Police: Passenger randomly stabs man in neck on bus in Everett

The two passengers reportedly did not know each other before the attack. Police arrested a suspect hours later.

Logo for news use featuring the municipality of Mountlake Terrace in Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Mountlake Terrace eyes one-time projects for $2.4M in federal funds

Staff recommended $750,000 for a new roof and HVAC at the library, $250,000 toward a nonprofit facility in Lynnwood and more.

The Snohomish River turns along the edge of the Bob Heirman Wildlife Preserve at Thomas’ Eddy on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
To build a healthier Snohomish River, more log jams

About $2.8M in grants will help engineer log jams, tear down levees and promote salmon restoration at Bob Heirman Wildlife Preserve.

Most Read