Sandy Police Department operates roughly a dozen drones out of its Real Time Crime Center, deploying them several times a week to track fleeing suspects, assist firefighters, and execute search warrants. Each drone costs about $9,000.

The program puts Sandy squarely in a national trend. But as police departments expand their fleets, residents across the Salt Lake Valley are asking what rules govern the cameras overhead.

Utah's answer is among the strictest in the country.

What the law prohibits

Under Utah Code § 72-10-802, police cannot obtain or use drone-collected data unless they have a search warrant, are operating under a judicially recognized exception to the warrant requirement, or are searching for a missing person in an area where no one has a reasonable expectation of privacy.

The law bars officers from using drone footage that captures people, buildings, or areas that aren't the target of the operation. Any non-target data must be destroyed as soon as reasonably possible. Officers must document every drone deployment, including what data was collected and from whom, in their official reports.

Utah is also among the few states that simultaneously prohibit drone surveillance of people and buildings, drone weaponization, and drone interference with first responders, according to a 2026 report by World Population Review.

What the law permits

The statute carves out clear space for police drone use when officers have a valid warrant, when they're searching for a missing person in a public area, or when a civilian voluntarily provides drone footage that appears to show a crime or an imminent emergency involving danger of death or serious injury. Officers can also use drones in any manner that does not violate a reasonable expectation of privacy.

How Sandy PD says it uses the technology

Sgt. Michael Olsen, the department's public information officer, told KUTV on Thursday, May 15, that the department follows "very strict case law" on drone operations.

"Most of what we use drones for is to make sure that we are getting into the correct positions when we are either assisting our fire department, or we're doing search and rescue, or we're trying to locate a fleeing suspect who is hiding in backyards," Olsen said in the interview.

Olsen acknowledged resident concerns about privacy, saying the department's primary goal is maintaining public trust. He said he would personally have concerns if a drone were used over his own home without cause.

What residents should know

Sandy residents who believe a drone was used improperly during a police encounter can request records through the department. Under Utah law, every drone deployment must be documented in the officer's report — records residents can request directly from Sandy PD.