The University of Iowa has created a new approval form and streamlined workflow for the use of unmanned aerial systems (UASs), or “drones.”

The university is a drone no-fly zone. Anyone seeking to fly drones on campus or use university-owned drones off campus must first submit a request for an exception to the no-fly zone and receive approval using the new form.

The newly streamlined workflow—which routes through the Office of the Vice President for Research, UI Health Care, Facilities Management, the Department of Public Safety, and Risk Management—reduces the time necessary to process requests and give approval to within 14 days of the request submission.

Rich Hichwa, senior associate vice president for research, says the new approval process is helpful for faculty pursuing academic and research applications of drone technology.

“As a research university, it’s no surprise that many people on campus are exploring ways of using drones for education and research,” says Hichwa. “We have tried to make the approval process as quick and efficient as possible so that we’re not blocking use of an important new tool.”

The UI drone policy adheres to all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and stipulates that anyone wishing to land, launch, or fly a drone on or over UI property or for university purposes must submit a request to fly. This includes students, faculty, staff, visitors, contractors, videographers, and photographers.

Flying drones on campus as a hobby or for recreation is not permitted, according to the policy.

Approval for flying a drone will only be given after consideration of the request’s accordance with the university’s mission and the intended operator’s compliance with FAA certifications, licenses, permits, and clearances, among other criteria.

The UI policy, the request form, and additional information are available online at the Risk Management, Insurance, and Loss Prevention website.