Virginia Tech® home

Privacy Policy

Purpose

The purpose of this document is to balance the requirement to collect, process, retain and disseminate data for the research, development, test and evaluation efforts of the UAS Test Site with the necessity to respect personal privacy.

Policy

The privacy policy of the UAS Test Site is founded on the Fair Information Practice Principles (FIPPs) of

  1. Transparency,
  2. Individual Participation,
  3. Purpose Specifications,
  4. Data Minimization,
  5. Use Limitation,
  6. Data Quality and Integrity,
  7. Security, and
  8. Accountability and Auditing.

Strict compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations is the foundation of all Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP) UAS Test Site operations.  Recognizing that these regulations will vary between jurisdictions and can change with legislative or regulatory action, the test site will maintain awareness of and compliance with any such changes.

In addition to strict compliance with existing laws and regulations, test site operations will be conducted in a manner that is consistent with a respect for privacy.  Except for photography that may occur in public locations where there is no expectation of privacy (such as in the public areas of the Virginia Tech campus), there will be no intentional data collection on individuals except when prior consent has been obtained. If unintentional collection of data on individuals occurs, the test site will make all reasonable efforts to ensure that this data is not used and not transmitted outside of the test site.

Implementation

The MAAP UAS Test Site will take the following actions to achieve the objectives above.

·       Prior to commencing flight operations for the first time in an area the MAAP UAS Test Site will reach out to local officials, local airports and the general community to inform them of the nature of flights anticipated when flights will take place over public areas.

·       No MAAP UAS Test Site operation will have as its mission intentionally collecting the personal information of individuals in the general public where they have an expectation of privacy to include imagery, phone, wireless or other electronic emissions that might contain personal information.

·       In the event that personal information is unintentionally collected, UAS Test site operators will ensure that

  • The information is not used in any manner by the test site.
  • The information is not transmitted outside of the UAS Test Site or its customers.

·       In compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), student information will only be shared with the written permission from the parent or eligible student or, without consent, under the specific conditions listed in that federal law.

·       The MAAP UAS Test Site will

  • Maintain this policy as long as Test Site operations continue,
  • Make this policy publicly available, and
  • Provide a mechanism to receive and consider comments from the public on this policy.

Review

The MAAP UAS Test Site will conduct an annual review to ensure that test site operations are in compliance with the stated privacy policy and practices. 

Public Comment

Public comments on this policy may be sent to the director of the MAAP UAS Test Site at mtblanks@vt.edu.