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University of Michigan announces temporary ban on drone use

Posted at 1:18 PM, Feb 13, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-13 13:18:02-05

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Officials at the University of Michigan are placing a temporary ban on drone use on the school’s Ann Arbor campus until a final policy is created.

The Ann Arbor News reports that the restrictions include indoor and outdoor use. It also applies to all students faculty, staff, guests and visitors.

The ban was announced in an email to staff. It does not apply to labs or designated research ares. The school is in the process of building a netted, outdoor facility for drone research and educational uses.

Officials wrote in the email that “drones can interfere with the air-medical transport helicopters that regularly land” at the university’s medical center.

School spokesman Rick Fitzgerald confirmed to the newspaper that an unauthorized drone landed last year near the health system helipad.