Law Enforcement and Technology: Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems

There is no specific legislative framework that governs federal law enforcement use of drones. Generally, federal law does not direct or prohibit specific tools and technologies—such as UAS—used by federal law enforcement agencies to aid investigations.

Rather, there are laws and policies broadly governing law enforcement investigations and intelligence gathering. Additionally, there are a number of policies directing the use of drones by federal agencies, including law enforcement, and pertinent guidance resources.