Marchell Magxaka, Jason Lucas, PhD and Joseph Burgett, PhD
Clemson University
Clemson, South Carolina
The use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs), or drones, have been widely documented with benefits for many agencies and industries that deal with construction, planning, emergency management, and public safety. Many agencies that are currently using drones have limited resources and face challenges in their deployment. This research is examining the extent of those challenges among state agencies of South Carolina and how they may better be addressed through joint initiatives, enhanced communication, networking, and research. This paper documents an initial survey used to gauge drone use of different agencies throughout the state, common challenges that were identified, and strategies that are planned to address these challenges through future collaborative efforts.
Keywords: Drones, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs), Best Practices, Agencies