Unmanned aircraft have become one of the most powerful tools in modern policing, but they also bring serious privacy concerns. This four-hour course gives officers, supervisors, and UAS pilots a clear understanding of how the Fourth Amendment applies to drone operations.
Using real drone, aerial surveillance, and technology cases, we walk through the Katz privacy test, curtilage, open fields, and the difference between what officers may see from the ground and what requires a warrant while in the air. We compare traditional aerial cases such as Katz, Ciraolo, and Dow Chemical Co. against newer drone and aerial-tech decisions like Long Lake Twp. v. Maxon, (Michigan), and State v. McKelvey (Alaska). We also address the mosaic theory from Carpenter v. United States, remote ID and tracking issues, and how courts view low-altitude, intrusive overflights of homes and backyards.
By the end of class, students will be able to explain when a drone flight is likely a “search,” when a warrant or exigent circumstances are required, how
