Public asked to notify OHS on drone activity

Monday morning I received an email from Washakie County Emergency Management/Homeland Security Director Kami Neighbors that the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security is asking the community to report suspicious drone activity (drones flying in a sensitive location, at unusual hours, doing unusual things, or near important locations such as pipelines, power plants, water treatment facilities, etc).

The state OHS office has set up a website, drone.wyo.gov, for a “resource hub as well as a date collection hub. “The website includes resources to help citizens identify what they might be seeing in the night sky including different type of drones, Starlink and more.

Ashley Paulsrud of OHS said, “We have been receiving many reports of possible drone sightings in the state. This site is a source for drone information and our attempt to collect this information in one location as well as deconflict planned flights to assist local law enforcement.”

Per the website, “If you witness a drone (or what you think is a drone) flying in a sensitive location, at unusual hours, doing unusual things, or near important locations (e.g. pipeline, power plant, water treatment facility, etc.), please let us know.

“Most ‘civilian’ drones are typically under 4 feet across and less than 44 pounds with the majority of ‘hobbyist’ drones smaller, about 1 foot or so across.”

There is also a place on the website to report sightings, to ask questions and to try and track planned drone flights. Under the “Pre-Flight Notification” portion of the website it states, “In an effort to best understand observed unidentified aerial phenomenon and assist local law enforcement with deconfliction of planned vs unknown flights in our region.  Please use this form to submit details of planned flights.”

Drone sightings and concerns went viral at the end of 2024 with many sightings in New Jersey with little to no explanation. Earlier this year, according to news reports a firefighting aircraft was damaged after a collision with a drone on the Los Angeles Palisades Fire.

Wyoming, in all wildland fires, issues notices about no fly zones for drones issuing warnings that if you are flying your drone, firefighting aircraft cannot fly.

The website should help eliminate these types of conflict, provided amateur and hobbyist drone pilots abide by the rules and procedures and are properly licensed.

I remember several years ago, before all the conspiracy theories around drones, I had my own run-in with a drone, assuming it was being flown by a nearby neighbor as the light from the drone was shining in the windows of my home late at night.

I mentioned it about a week or so later to then Sheriff Steve Rakness who told me I should have reported it immediately. I never had any other problems, but it shows that not every drone pilot is responsible or ethical and some may be up to no good.

This website and initiative is a good step in trying to keep up with technology.

So if you see anything suspicious report it and for more information check out the state’s website.