To: Board of County Commissioners
From: Chris Metropoulos, Emergency Manager
title
RE: Approval to review and accept the attached MOU allowing the Michigan Drone Association (MDA) to install a drone detection sensor on the rooftop of the Genesee County Administration Building
recommendation
BOARD ACTION REQUESTED:
Review and approval of an MOU submitted by the MDA as part of the Michigan Counter-UAS Task Force to install a drone detection sensor on the rooftop of the Genesee County Administration Building.
BACKGROUND:
The Michigan Counter-UAS Task Force, led by the Michigan Drone Association (a Michigan 501(c)(3)), is building a unified, statewide approach to drone detection and low-altitude airspace awareness. The Task Force brings together public safety agencies, federal partners, and host sites across the state to create a shared picture of drone activity, giving first responders and facility operators real-time awareness of what's flying near critical locations.
DISCUSSION:
This system provides significant benefits of public safety, by improving situational awareness of drone activity near critical infrastructure, public gatherings, emergency incidents, and government facilities. Information collected by the system is shared with authorized public safety partners through the Michigan Counter-UAS Task Force and contributes to a common operating picture during planned events and emergency operations.
IMPACT ON HUMAN RESOURCES:
N/A
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
N/A: No equipment purchase, installation, software licensing, maintenance, or subscription costs for Genesee County under the project. MDA solicits private-partner sponsorships to help cover the cost of this infrastructure.
IMPACT ON FACILITIES:
N/A
IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY:
N/A
CONFORMITY TO COUNTY PRIORITIES:
TO THE HONORABLE CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE GENESEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
BE IT RESOLVED, by this Board of County Commissioners of Genesee County, Michigan, that the request by the Emergency Manager to authorize entering into a Memorandum of Agreement (“MOU”) between Genesee County and the Michigan Drone Association (“MDA”), whereby the MDA will install and maintain a passive drone detection sensor on the rooftop of the new Genesee County Administration Tower Building to enhance public safety as part of the Michigan Counter-UAS Task Force’s statewide airspace awareness network, at no cost to the county, is approved (a copy of the memorandum request and supporting documents being on file with the official records of the July 15, 2026 meeting of the Governmental Operations Committee of this Board), and the Chairperson of this Board is authorized to execute the MOU on behalf of Genesee County.