Drone Use Policies

Drone photo of Eugene's downtown riverfont

The use of drones by employees of the City of Eugene was authorized by Administrative Order No. 21-19-03 of the City Manager in April, 2019.  Each department may have different uses for drones, and participating departments have created a specific policies to establish guidelines for safe, efficient and lawful operations of drones.


How Drones May Be Used by the City of Eugene

This far-reaching technology may be used to enhance services provided to the community by:


  • Protecting the lives and property of citizens and first responders
  • Enhancing situational awareness during emergency response
  • Inspecting and monitoring facilities, assets, infrastructure and natural resources
  • Obtaining photos and video for outreach, including printed materials and social media

Drones will always be operated in a constitutionally and legally sound manner that respects and protects the privacy and civil liberties of all. Safety is the primary concern in every operation.

City of Eugene Drone Policies and Contacts

The City of Eugene’s Administrative Policy Manual requires each participating department to adopt a department-specific policy. Eugene City Council subsequently approved Administrative Order 21-19-03 to repeal previous policies and validate the updated policies below.

For the Public: Drone Safety

The City of Eugene does not restrict drone use by the public. The FAA publishes and enforces all rules for recreational fliers and commercial operators. All drone users are responsible for following published FAA rules at  https://www.faa.gov/uas/

The City of Eugene would also like to remind drone operators to:

  • Be considerate of park users and other visitors to public spaces.
  • Never fly your drone in a way that is disruptive to wildlife or other animals.

For Employees of Public Works: FAQs on Drone Operation 

Please refer to this FAQs on Drone Operation sheet if you have questions about operating a drone for Public Works.