CO HB1070

The Center of Excellence within the Department of Public Safety must conduct a study on integrating unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into state and local government operations for firefighting, search and rescue, accident reconstruction, crime scene documentation, emergency management, and major property loss or injury situations.

The study must identify feasible ways to deploy UAS technology and evaluate privacy concerns, costs, and deployment timeliness for each identified application.

The Center of Excellence shall operate a pilot program to integrate UAS into public safety operations, deploying at least one team of UAS operators to a fire hazard region designated by the division and training operators in various emergency response contexts.

Study results and pilot program outcomes must be reported to the Wildfire Matters Review Committee, House Agriculture, Livestock, and Natural Resources Committee, and Senate Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Energy Committee within one month of study completion.

The pilot program is funded through gifts, grants, and donations; UAS operators may be compensated by the Center during training, and the program cannot interfere with active wildfire suppression efforts without permission from the supervising agency.