Op Manual

UAS High School Operations Manual Template

Federal-compliant. School-ready. Designed for adoption and implementation.

Launching a high school drone program requires more than equipment and curriculum—it requires documented operational procedures that support safety, compliance, and clear oversight.

The UAS High School Operations Manual Template from DronePilotsForUS provides a structured framework schools and districts can adopt and customize to guide safe, efficient, and lawful drone operations.

What This Template Covers

Purpose and mission structure
Roles and responsibilities (Coordinator, RPIC, Observer)
Operational limitations and flight boundaries
Pre-flight and post-flight procedures
Weather requirements and documentation
Safety program and incident reporting
Emergency procedures (lost link, GPS loss, crash, communications loss)
Training standards (initial and recurrent)
Maintenance expectations and logkeeping
Federal references (FAA Part 107, Part 91, Remote ID)
State law note: includes an example addendum for North Carolina

Designed for High School Programs

This template is written to support educational drone programs, including Career & Technical Education (CTE), STEM pathways, and workforce readiness initiatives. It helps districts establish consistent practices for instructional flight training and approved educational missions.

Federal Compliance

This manual template is grounded in federal aviation requirements including:

14 CFR Part 107 – Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems
14 CFR Part 91 – General Operating and Flight Rules
FAA Remote ID Rule
FAA Advisory Circular 107-2
FAA Safety Reporting Requirements

Note: States may have additional UAS laws (privacy, permits, critical infrastructure, etc.). This template includes guidance for labeling state requirements as addendums, with a North Carolina example.

Download the Template

Download the editable Word document and customize it for your school or district:

Download UAS High School Operations Manual Template (DOCX)

Recommended Next Steps for Schools

Replace “YOUR SCHOOL” placeholders with your organization name and roles.
Confirm airspace procedures and required authorizations in your area.
Review state-specific UAS laws and add as a labeled addendum.
Train staff on roles, checklists, emergency procedures, and documentation.
Adopt an annual review schedule to keep procedures and references current.

Need Help Implementing a Drone Program?

DronePilotsForUS supports schools and districts with:

Operations manual customization
School drone policy development
Teacher training and implementation planning
FAA Part 107 prep and compliance support
Safety procedures and checklist development

Ready to build your drone mapping program?

If you are ready to implement a structured, compliant, career-ready drone program, we are here to assist.

[ Request Teacher Training Information ]
[ Schedule a Program Consultation ]