Arlington County, Virginia, is giving a heads-up that police drones will be flying in county airspace for Monday’s Inauguration Day activities.
In a Tuesday news release, the county said Arlington County Police “and our regional law enforcement partners will operate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), commonly referred to as drones, at various locations throughout Arlington County,” on Monday, between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
“Due to operational security, ACPD cannot provide specific locations where the drones will be surveying prior to the event,” according to police.
In the highly restricted airspace surrounding the federal government in Washington, the county says its police department “has coordinated these flights with the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Ronald Reagan National Airport.”
The county began its police drone program in 2024, and has used them previously in other large-scale events, including the Marine Corps Marathon.
This will be the county’s first use of drones on Inauguration Day.
Arlington County is a “No Drone Zone,” as designated by the FAA, which prohibits recreational drone flights at all times.
The public release of plans to use drones comes weeks news coverage about concern over unexplained sightings of the devices, up and down the east coast.
“The safety and security of the residents, visitors and businesses of the National Capital Region remains our top priority,” according to the county news release.
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