Using unmanned aircraft systems for live event monitoring: The benefits of aerial observation.

What started as a project on how to detect unwanted drones during University of Colorado Boulder football games has turned into a programme providing live aerial coverage of campus events. The use of drones (or unmanned aircraft systems) has improved situational awareness for event command and control, enabling adjustments to tactics and strategies during events. This paper will detail the humble start-up of a drone programme, describing the need for partnerships, the basics of flying, the essentials of a drone programme, and examples of drone use during incidents and/or events. The reader will walk away with an understanding of the benefits of their agency having an 'eye in the sky' during incidents or events.