Seeing our drone?
It's probably our wildlife survey
If you've seen a small drone with flashing lights before sunrise, or a drone crew parked nearby, we're likely counting wildlife for a township, land trust, or landowner. Here's what we're doing and how to check.
Current flight notices
Where we're flying
No public flight notices right now.
Not every survey is listed: private landowners may ask us not to post their land. To check on any flight, call or text (835) 997-2120.
What you may see
Lights, a small drone, and a parked crew
Anti-collision lights, which the FAA requires on every drone flown before sunrise. They're visible for about 3 miles, so the drone is usually much farther away and higher than it looks.
It flies slow, straight lines back and forth across the survey area at a steady height. It never hovers over homes or follows people.
The survey crew, at a launch point the landowner approved. Look for a “Drone Survey in Progress” sign or an “Authorized Survey” card on the dashboard.
Why we fly before sunrise
Our thermal camera finds animals by their body heat. The difference between a warm animal and the ground is largest in the last cold hours before dawn, so that's when counts are most accurate. Flights usually start about two hours before sunrise and end soon after it.
What we record, and what we don't
- The camera points straight down at the ground and counts animals.
- We don't record people, and images that happen to show neighboring homes or property aren't counted or shared.
- We remove all audio from footage.
- We never share animal locations with hunters or trappers.
If you think we captured your property and want it deleted, call or email us with the date and place. We'll check the footage and confirm the deletion in writing. Privacy details.
How to check it's us
- Call or text (835) 997-2120. If the pilot is flying, you'll hear back right after the aircraft lands.
- Look for our sign or dashboard card at the parked vehicle. Both name Frontier Drone Solutions and show the same phone number.
- Check Remote ID. Our aircraft broadcast FAA Remote ID, which free phone apps can read to show a drone nearby and where its pilot is.
- Check the notices above, or the link the township or landowner shared.
Please don't confront the pilot or the drone
Flying safely takes the pilot's full attention, especially in the dark. If you'd like to talk, wave or wait, and the pilot will land first and then come over. Please don't try to bring the drone down or block its signals: damaging an aircraft, interfering with the person flying it, and jamming are all federal offenses. The law that applies.
If our drone lands on your property
It's rare, but it can happen after a fault or a battery warning. Please call us rather than moving it; the battery can be hot. We'll come to collect it only with your permission, and we'll work with you on anything it damaged.
The drone and the survey data on it remain ours and our client's, so please don't keep it or open it. Under Pennsylvania law, keeping lost property whose owner is known is theft (18 Pa.C.S. § 3924). Every aircraft is labeled with our number, and we'll gladly pay a reward for its return.
Do we need permission to fly over your land?
Not by law: the FAA regulates the airspace. We do need permission to take off and land, and by company policy we survey only land whose owner or manager has agreed. More in our FAQ.
For police and dispatchers
Before every predawn flight we call the local police non-emergency line with the site, the time, and our vehicle. The pilot carries an FAA remote pilot certificate and shows it on request, along with the written permissions and a field card for the job. Details for law enforcement.
Want a survey of your own land?
We count deer and other wildlife for townships, land trusts, and landowners across southeastern Pennsylvania.