COA Loophole: How Law Enforcement Bypasses Federal Drone Licensing

FAA’s waiver program for public agencies has become a shortcut around Part 107 professional standards.

Joseph Corrigan

Monday, November 17, 2025 at 02:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Several law enforcement agencies use drones. [Credit: Joseph Corrigan]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA's Certificate of Authorization (COA) program enables public agencies, like law enforcement, to operate drones for official purposes without requiring individual pilots to hold a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate.
The article criticizes many law enforcement agencies for exploiting COAs as a shortcut, allowing undertrained officers to fly drones without the comprehensive knowledge and federal licensing required of civilian and commercial operators.
This practice raises significant concerns about aviation safety, professional standards, accountability, liability, and public trust due to the lack of rigorous training and oversight.
The author advocates for public agencies to mandate Part 107 certification for their drone pilots, ensuring equal or higher standards of competence and accountability across all National Airspace System users.

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Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), or drones, have revolutionized the way law enforcement and public agencies serve their communities. From disaster response and crime scene documentation to search and rescue, drones provide rapid intelligence and cost-effective aerial capabilities once reserved for manned aircraft.

The FAA recognizes this benefit and, to facilitate public operations, issues Certificates of Authorization (COAs) to government entities that need to use drones for official purposes. These COAs allow government agencies, including police and sheriff’s departments, to fly drones without requiring individual officers to hold an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate.