RENVILLE COUNTY — During its 2020 regular legislative session, the Minnesota legislature created a law requiring public comment for county use of an unmanned aerial system, aka a drone.

Minnesota State Statute 626.19 requires the Renville County Board of Commissioners to provide an opportunity for public comment prior to the Renville County Sheriff’s Office purchasing or using an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS).

In 2017, the Renville County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) began to assemble an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) program.

As one of the first out-state law enforcement agencies in Minnesota to use drone technology, RCSO acquired two UASs, one primarily for training and the other for operations, which included an infra-red, thermal imaging camera, which is useful for locating living people or animals via heat signatures.

Following the acquisition of the UASs, RCSO applied for and received a Certificate of Authorization from the FAA, which exempts RCSO from certain FAA regulations during emergencies. Office policies were developed and implemented, staff was trained and the UASs began being deployed for actual emergencies.

Since that time, several UAS missions have been successfully completed, both within Renville County and while assisting our neighboring counties during emergencies. Deployments to date have included searches for lost, missing or otherwise endangered persons, searches for fugitives and wanted persons, assisting with locating missing livestock, documenting damage following severe weather eventsand various public displays and demonstrations.

The RCSO’s policy on UAS operations can be found in the Notices section of RCSO’s website at www.renvillecountymn.com/sheriff.

To satisfy the newly-enacted law, the Renville County Board of Commissioners will accept public comments about the Renville County Sheriff’s Office’s acquisition and/or use of unmanned aerial systems.

In-person comments can be made at 10 a.m., Monday, November 24, at the meeting of the Renville County Board of Commissioners. The meeting will be held in Suite 313 at the Renville County Government Services Center,105 5th Street S. Olivia.

Additionally, the Renville County Sheriff’s Office will also receive public comments, both electronically and via US Mail, to 9 p.m., November 24. E-mailed comments can be sent to: Sheriffrecords@renvillecountymn.com.

Mailed comments may be sent to: Renville County Sheriff’s Office ATTN: UAS Public Comments 105 5th Street S., Suite 210 Olivia, MN 56277.

Questions can be directed to Sheriff Scott Hable at: (320)523-3771 or ScottH@renvillecountymn.com.

Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.