Dec. 20—tazewell, va. — Tazewell County is among the localities where residents are telling law enforcement authorities that they are seeing what could be drones in the sky.
Throughout December, the Virginia Fusion Center, located within the Homeland Security Division of the Virginia State Police, has received over 150 tips about drone activity across the Commonwealth.
All of these tips are being investigated and shared with key stakeholders, fusion center officials said Thursday in a press release. In recent weeks, mysterious drone sightings have alarmed citizens across several East Coast states.
Law enforcement is encouraging citizens to contact the Virginia Fusion Center at vfc@vfc.vsp.virginia.gov, if they see drones acting suspiciously.
In Tazewell County, Sheriff Brian Hieatt said Thursday that his office started receiving calls last Saturday, Dec. 14, about drone sightings.
“We’ve had several people in the area call about seeing what they thought might be drones,” Hieatt said. “I’ve had people call me.”
County residents are used to seeing airplanes and helicopters, but callers say what they are witnessing do not look or act like either type of aircraft, Hieatt said. He did not know immediately how many calls his office had received so far.
“We encourage anyone that witnesses a drone flying over critical infrastructure, such as energy installations, or military sites, to contact the Virginia Fusion Center,” said Virginia State Police Special Agent D. Robinson. “This will enable us to work with our partners to determine exactly what is occurring, and how to move forward.”
According to the Virginia Fusion Center, drones are required to remain in sight of either the operator or a visual observer and have a maximum allowable altitude of 400 feet unless waived by federal regulators.
Operators are required to have a remote pilot certificate for recreational use or a license from the FAA for commercial use. People interested in using drones can learn more about the rules and regulations at Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS){&pipe}Federal Aviation Administration.
It is against the law to shoot at a drone, according to the Virginia Fusion Center. Airspace is governed by the federal government. State law does prohibit flying drones within 50 feet of a residence, unless the person is authorized by the federal government to operate and is doing so lawfully and consistent with federal regulations.
The Virginia Fusion Center Shield Program has released additional information on drones available at All Sectors Bulletin — UAV Assessment. All information bulletins distributed by the VFC Shield are public and are intended to be shared.
The public is encouraged to sign up for this free outreach program by visiting https://fusion.vsp.virginia.gov/shield.
Contact Greg Jordan at
gjordan@bdtonline.com
Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com