Story by Paige Effinger, Contributing Writer
Murray State has a “no drone” policy that prohibits the use of drones for commercial, hobby or other purposes on university property.
To fly a drone, one must have a licence given by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and complete an aeronautical knowledge test.
Shawn Touney, director of communications at Murray State, said any changes to this policy must be in full compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations.
This rule is one of a kind compared to other schools throughout Kentucky. Western Kentucky University has an application that students can apply for to be able to operate unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) on or above their campus so long as the operator is compliance with the FAA.
The University of Kentucky also has a similar rule. Students have to apply for permission to fly their UAS above campus. This requirement ensures the safety of the students, faculty, and staff.
The UK policy prohibits any use of hobbyist or recreational use of UAS devices over the campus, and also prohibits drone operators to fly their device over Kroger Field [Commonwealth Stadium] during any event.
All UAS devices are required to be registered with the FAA. Currently, one only has to be 13 years old to register a drone for recreational uses, and 16 years old to register it for commercial and business uses. All operators must be licensed through the FAA.