Duke’s campus is a vibrant and highly populated area. With near constant student activity, community events, a sprawling medical center, and a Life Flight heliport, requests to fly any type of aircraft must be carefully reviewed, and approvals will be heavily dependent on location and timing. Working closely with Duke Forest, Duke University has created two pre-approved locations, the Couch and Blackwood field sites, which are recommended for most drone needs. Requests to fly at the pre-approved locations will be handled more quickly and with greater likelihood of success. Please visit the Duke Forest website for more information about their property, event calendar, and teaching/research use forms.
All flight requests must begin with the form below. Requests will be reviewed for completeness and viability. Requests taking place in Duke Forest may be approved with minimal additional effort. Requests to fly on campus will be escalated for assistance from appropriate groups based upon type of flight. Hobbyist and Student requests will work with Student Affairs (UCAE), and OIT. Research and Education uses will be coordinated by the Office of the Vice Provost for Research. Administrative and Commercial uses will be vetted by the Office of the Vice President for Administration.