South Carolina Highway Patrol Drone Documents
| Submitted | Feb. 3, 2013 |
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Communications
From: Drone Watch
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
1. any requests for proposals, proposals submitted by vendors, contracts, budgets or cost allocations for the purchase, research of and/or use of aerial drones, UAs, UAVs, and UASs (hereinafter “drones”);
2. any policies, guidelines, manuals and/or instructions on institutional use of drones, including on the legal process required (such as a warrant or court order), if any, before operating a drone;
3. any departmental records concerning this institution's use of and/or research of drones now or plans to use drones in the future including:
a. the types of investigations or instances in which this department is using or plans to use drones, or how it plans to support, manage or oversee the usage of drones by another department or office;
b. policies, guidelines, manuals and/or instructions on storage requirements or procedures for video or static images obtained through use of drones, including retention times;
c. the altitude at which drones can or do fly;
d. drones’ ability to carry weapons.
I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as I believe this request is in the public interest. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.
In the event that fees cannot be waived, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 15 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Shawn Musgrave
From: South Carolina Highway Patrol
An acknowledgement letter, stating the request is being processed.
From: Watkins, Leigh P.
Please find your information attached and below.
From: Watford, Scott
Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2013 4:04 PM
To: Watkins, Leigh P.
Cc: Oliver, Michael R.
Subject: FW: Freedom of Information Request: South Carolina Highway Patrol Drone Documents
Attached is the only documentation that I have related to this request. I provided answers to the requested information. Let me know if you need anything else.
-----Original Message-----
From: requests@muckrock.com [mailto:requests@muckrock.com]
Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2013 7:29 PM
To: HPHeadquarters
Subject: Freedom of Information Request: South Carolina Highway Patrol Drone Documents
February 3, 2013
South Carolina Highway Patrol
South Carolina Highway Patrol
P. O. Box 1993
Blythewood, SC, 29016
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
1. any requests for proposals, proposals submitted by vendors, contracts, budgets or cost allocations for the purchase, research of and/or use of aerial drones, UAs, UAVs, and UASs (hereinafter “drones”);
DPS does not have a Request for Proposal (RFP), contract, or agreement with any vendor for the use or purchase of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.
2. any policies, guidelines, manuals and/or instructions on institutional use of drones, including on the legal process required (such as a warrant or court order), if any, before operating a drone;
DPS has not developed any policies or other procedures related to the use of drones.
3. any departmental records concerning this institution's use of and/or research of drones now or plans to use drones in the future including:
The attached document details the internal request of the Highway Patrol Emergency Management Division on behalf of the Highway Patrol Multi-
Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team's need for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. Their request was not fulfilled, budgeted, or otherwise processed.
a. the types of investigations or instances in which this department is using or plans to use drones, or how it plans to support, manage or oversee the usage of drones by another department or office;
The Highway Patrol Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team planned to use an Unmarried Aerial Vehicle to photograph traffic collision scenes.
b. policies, guidelines, manuals and/or instructions on storage requirements or procedures for video or static images obtained through use of drones, including retention times;
Since the request was never implemented, DPS has no guidelines concerning images or video obtained through the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.
c. the altitude at which drones can or do fly;
Since the request was never implemented, DPS never established at what altitude UAV could fly.
d. drones’ ability to carry weapons.
DPS had no intention of using UAV to carry weapons. Their only intended use was to photograph traffic collision scenes.
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