By Scott Gardner
Noblesville, Indiana’s police department recently became one of the first agencies in the country to secure Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval to fly drones beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) under a new streamlined waiver process. The turnaround time? Just under 24 hours.
“It allows us to better serve our community without waiting weeks or months to launch operations,” said Sergeant Corey McGriff, who partnered with Cobec Inc., a firm that specializes in aviation policy and technical support, to file for the waiver.
What is truly amazing and a path to safer communities is that this fast-tracked approval isn’t tied to an emergency or a special exemption. Noblesville’s success was a direct result of the FAA’s newly updated waiver process, which is here to stay and can be used by any department looking to expand its drone operations.
What’s changed in the FAA waiver process?
Until recently, law enforcement agencies faced a confusing mix of FAA approvals to get a drone program off the ground. Departments might want to perform operations like Drone as First Responder (DFR), emergency response, or tactical overwatch, which required extensive approvals including: Class G Blanket Certificates of Authorization (COAs), Jurisdictional COAs, Tactical BVLOS approvals and First Responder BVLOS waivers.
Earlier this year, the FAA rolled up all these approvals under the Part 91 waiver for public safety. This new process offers a major shift in how agencies can legally fly, especially for missions where the drone isn’t within the operator’s direct line of sight. This is often the case for critical missions.
How Noblesville PD got approved in under 24 hours
The new waiver has several key benefits that, when combined, result in the streamlined process that allowed Noblesville to get approved in just 23 hours and 47 minutes. There are fewer hoops to jump through. The FAA now requires just a short public declaration letter from agency leadership and a simplified concept of operations. Also, the old COA Application Processing System (CAPS) is no longer required. CAPS had long wait times and sometimes required police departments to make multiple submissions. Submissions are briefer and more easily prepared than those required before 2025.
What your agency needs to apply today
Not only has the process been streamlined, but approvals will last longer. Waivers are now valid for four years instead of two. In making these changes, the FAA also reduced the cost and administrative burden that falls on police departments looking to expand drone operations.
With BVLOS operations, agencies can launch drones to active scenes and provide live aerial video; support searches, pursuits and tactical events from a safe distance; monitor incidents in real time without sending personnel; and increase coverage without requiring nearby line-of-sight operators.
To apply, departments will need:
- FAA Form 7711 Application for Certificate of Waiver Authorization
- Public Aircraft Operations Public Safety Organization 91.113 Letter (signed by a senior official like a Sheriff)
- Concept of Operations
- Public Aircraft Operations Public Safety Organization 91 BVLOS 200-foot Waiver Checklist
- A public declaration letter.
This all comes together to affirm the public safety mission and provide a basic explanation of how the drone program will operate. That’s it. There is no need for a lengthy narrative, and there is no drawn-out approval chain. The FAA has revamped this process to focus on clear, mission-oriented information that is concise, but tailored such that police departments can get flying both quickly and safely.
Training tip: Assign a designated policy lead or technical liaison within your department to manage FAA submissions. This helps streamline internal coordination and ensures consistency in your drone program documentation.
Why BVLOS matters for public safety missions
Noblesville’s success highlights how effective support and a clear understanding of the rules can make a measurable difference. But more importantly, it proved that the FAA’s changes provide routine, swift BVLOS waiver approval for police departments, and in turn, they open the door to swifter first response and safer communities.
Resources
- Federal Aviation Administration. UAS Part 91 Waiver Request Information.
- Federal Aviation Administration. Instructions for Drone Operators Completing FAA Form 7711-2.
- Dronelife. FAA Panel at National Public Safety UAS Conference Highlights New Waivers and Process Improvements. March 11, 2025.
- Skydio. Part 91 BVLOS Waiver Process: A Guide for Public Safety Agencies.
About the author
Scott Gardner is a Principal Analyst, Airspace & Technical Operations at Cobec, Inc. He also has over 11 years of experience managing complex waivers and exemption applications for uncrewed aircraft operations at the Federal Aviation Administration. Gardner spent 30 years in the United States Air Force as an Air Traffic Control Officer and Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer. In the private sector, Mr. Gardner spent eight years doing financial budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis with L.L. Bean and Lowes, Inc.
