Episode 6: Unlocking Zero Grid & Multi-Drone BVLOS

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) achieved two significant regulatory breakthroughs in September, becoming the first public safety agency in the country to secure FAA approvals for:

1. BVLOS flight without Visual Observers in “Zero Grid” airspace, and 
2. Multi-drone operations 

With over a year of Drone as First Responder experience, these achievements mark a new era for LVMPD, completing the transition from proof-of-concept to full-scale multi-drone response—now with clearance to operate above the grid in some of the most complex airspace in the country. 

In Episode 6 of the FAA Waiver Webinar Series, regulatory expert Jakee Stoltz and product director Sujoy Banerjee from Skydio are joined by LVMPD’s Commissioned Supervisor Steve Oscar to unpack how regulatory achievements are unlocking DFR at scale in Las Vegas. Together, they’ll walk through what the current 200’ and 400’ BVLOS waivers allow near airports, the new airspace authorization process that enables flight above the UAS Facility Map altitudes, and how agencies can pursue similar approvals to allow routine BVLOS operations in areas that were previously off limits. They’ll also discuss the agency's recent multi-drone approval that allows one operator to simultaneously operate up to 4 drones, enabling seamless and continuous overwatch of calls for service. 

What you’ll learn:

1. What 200’ and 400’ BVLOS waivers do and don’t allow in Zero Grid airspace
2. Why airport coordination alone is not enough without signed FAA authorization
3. How LVMPD became the first agency to break through the Zero Grid barrier
4. How multi-drone operations can impact the way your drone program is staffed
5. What your agency can do today to prepare for COA requests and scalable BVLOS ops

If your team is actively flying BVLOS or planning to expand into controlled airspace, this session will provide a clear, tactical roadmap for going further—legally, safely, and at scale.