Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), also known as drones, are unmanned aircraft used below the federal navigable airspace. They include associated support equipment, control station, data links, telemetry, communications and navigation equipment, etc. UAS may have a variety of names including quadcopter, quadrotor, etc.

Drones are being employed in a wide variety of research and facilities applications such as animal tracking, agriculture, digital archeology, campus surveys, and infrastructure inspections. Students and staff are also increasingly looking to utilize drones for photography, journalism, and recreational activities. Please note that due to UNT policy and campus proximity to a local airport, all those who wish to use a UAS (drone) on campus must follow FAA and UNT procedures and processes.

Please also review our most commonly asked questions. If you need additional help, email us at AskRMS@unt.edu.

UAS Policy

The use of all UAS on UNT owned property or for official UNT business must be reviewed and approved by Risk Management Services (RMS) prior to operations. This policy applies to all faculty, staff, students, university contractors, and visitors, as well as indoor and outdoor use. This requirement also applies to all unmanned aircraft that do not meet the common definition of a drone (e.g., remote controlled blimps, model rockets, etc.). Refer to UNT Policy 15.016 Unmanned Aircraft System for more details.