Drones can be found in almost every city and county in the United States. As of December 31, 2023, The FAA's database includes 790,918 drones, roughly divided between commercial and recreational drones. So how do you keep a level of safety for all these users as they interact in the National Air Space, and what is happening with all the drone video and pictures? To enhance safety in recreational drone use, the FAA's TRUST (The Recreational UAS Safety Test) requires a safety and aeronautical test, that more than 650,000 users have passed prior to flying their drone. The FAA added more requirements for commercial users. Roy will talk about all the current concerns with flying these drones, including privacy and even national security issues.
Roy Shrout worked for Fairfax County for more than 31 years starting in the Public Safety Communications Center as a 911 dispatcher moving up the ranks assuming the lead role as Squad Supervisor in 2001. He moved to the Office of Emergency Management in 2003 and was promoted to Deputy Coordinator in 2006. Mr. Shrout served as the situation unit leader for the national capital region (NCR) Emergency Operations Center (EOC) management team that was deployed to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He also served as the chair of the National Capital Region Operations Center Committee, where he implemented several regional Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN) programs to help with information sharing and situational awareness for planned events and infrastructure emergencies. He authored a white paper on Situational Awareness in the National Capital Region and served as the co-chair for a regional Situational Awareness working group that was tasked to identify essential elements of information, review existing technology, and process and then develop recommendations on how to increase the effectiveness for regional information sharing.
Mr. Shrout served as the Program Manager for the implementation of the Fairfax County Public Safety Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) program which includes Law Enforcement, Fire and Rescue and Emergency Management. The program was formally adopted by the Board of Supervisors on May 21, 2019. Prior to his retirement, Mr. Shrout also received approval by the Board of Supervisors to expand the program to include additional County agencies such as Parks, Public Affairs and Public Works thus setting the stage for Fairfax County to become one of the first "All County UAS programs."
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