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Personal project, vehicles, and drones

Personal projects, vehicles and drones that are not affiliated with a class or faculty member must be assessed by the Olin safety committee (this may include the Dean of Students, Director of Facilities and/or Director of Lab and Shop Operations) before being brought to campus. They will work with students on approved projects, vehicles, and drones to find appropriate storage and areas for safe use. Large projects, vehicles and drones that should be assessed include, but are not limited to, vehicles, projects and drones that:

  • require permits (building permits, occupancy permits, electrical permits, environmental permits, etc)
  • require college land (sheds, tree houses, tiny houses, trailers, boats, etc)
  • use a motor;
  • involve pressurized tanks;
  • use banks of batteries;
  • contain hazardous chemicals or gasses;
  • have been rewired or have altered the manufactured specification; or
  • require additional utilities or space requirements.

The college reserves the right to remove any project, vehicle or drone from the premises that has not been approved to be on campus.

Vehicle Repair

The ability for students to perform car repairs on campus is limited, especially in areas like dormitories or parking lots. The following vehicle maintenance and repair activities are strictly prohibited on all university property:

  • Major Repairs: Any repair requiring the draining of fluids (oil, coolant, brake fluid, transmission fluid, etc.), removal of major components (engine, transmission, axles, etc.), extensive disassembly, or the use of heavy equipment (e.g., engine hoists, hydraulic lifts).

  • Body Work: Any activity involving sanding, painting, welding, or significant body panel replacement.

  • Fluid Changes: Changing engine oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, coolant, or any other automotive fluid.

  • Tire Disposal: Disposing of used tires on university property or in university dumpsters.

  • Hazardous Waste: Disposal of any hazardous automotive waste (e.g., oil filters, batteries, contaminated rags, anti-freeze) in university trash receptacles or drains.

  • Extended Work: Performing any repair that extends beyond a single, brief session and leaves a vehicle in a disassembled state for an extended period (more than 24 hours).

  • Commercial Activities: Conducting any vehicle repair for commercial purposes.

Minor, emergency, and non-disruptive vehicle maintenance activities are generally permitted, provided they do not involve the prohibited activities listed above and do not pose a safety or environmental risk. These include:

  • Tire Changes: Changing a flat tire with a spare. Proper disposal of the flat tire off-campus is the responsibility of the vehicle owner.

  • Battery Jumps: Jump-starting a dead battery.

  • Fluid Top-Offs: Adding small amounts of pre-packaged fluids (e.g., windshield washer fluid, brake fluid, coolant) to existing reservoirs, provided no spills occur.

  • Bulb Replacement: Replacing headlights, taillights, or turn signal bulbs.

  • Wiper Blade Replacement: Replacing windshield wiper blades.

Note: Any spills, even from permitted activities, must be immediately cleaned up by the individual responsible, and appropriate measures taken to prevent environmental contamination. All waste generated from permitted vehicle maintenance activities, including empty containers and rags, must be properly disposed of off-campus in accordance with local, state, and federal environmental regulations.

Any exceptions to this policy must be requested in writing and approved in advance by the Babson Campus Safety and the Director of Facilities. Such requests will only be granted in extraordinary circumstances and will require a detailed plan for safety, waste disposal, and environmental protection.

Small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)/Drone Policy

Flying unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) of any type on all property belonging to Olin College is prohibited unless prior approval has been granted. The purpose of this policy is to address safety and privacy concerns of Olin College in addition to enforcing compliance with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) laws and regulations. Areas of use for UAS potentially include research and technology use, recreational/hobbyist use by members of the Olin community, official use by the college (i.e. Departmental use for admission videos, marketing), and intrusion into the campus/space by non-college affiliated members of the general public.

The FAA has proposed new rules for small UAS (under 55 pounds) conducting non-recreational operations, and these include but are not limited to:

  • Operator (person actually flying the UAS) must be at least 17 years old, passed an aeronautical knowledge test (to be taken every 24 months to maintain certification) and has an FAA UAS operator certificate.
  • Flights are limited to daylight hours and in good weather.
  • Flights are limited to 500 feet altitude and no faster than 100 mph.
  • UAS must weigh less than 55 pounds.
  • Operator is responsible for ensuring an aircraft is safe before flying (i.e. perform a preflight inspection that includes checking the communications link between the control station and the UAS, assess weather conditions, location of people, etc.).
  • Operator must maintain visual line of sight of the UAS with unaided vision (except for eye glasses).
  • Operator must discontinue the flight when continuing would pose a hazard to other aircraft, people or property.
  • UAS cannot be flown over people, except for those directly involved in the flight.
  • Operating the UAS in a careless or reckless manner is prohibited.
  • Dropping any objects from the UAS is prohibited.
  • Operator must respect the privacy of others- avoid flying over private property or taking photos or videos without permission.

Commercial Operator Use

This policy defines commercial operator use as official use by the college and use by non-college affiliated members of the general public. A request for permission to use a UAS/drone on campus must be submitted to the Vice President for Operations and CIO at least three weeks prior to the scheduled flight and will be reviewed by public safety, facilities, environmental health and safety, and risk management. The request will include the following information:

  • Name, address and phone number of company/individual making the request
  • Operator(s) name(s) and contact information
  • UAS model and serial number, weight and dimensions (include a photo)
  • Description of the operation
  • Geographical boundaries of the operation
  • Flight plan
  • Date of flight and duration
  • Certificate of insurance
  • FAA Certificate of Authorization/UAS Operator Certificate

If permission is granted, the marketing/communications department will notify the Olin community at least 24 hours in advance of the flight. Notification will include the purpose of the flight, date, time and duration.

Research Use

Research use is specific to Olin faculty members. Faculty members using small UAS/drones must be current members of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), and membership can be obtained at http://www.modelaircraft.org/. Faculty members are responsible for obtaining the appropriate licensure and adhering to the FAA regulations, the safety code of the AMA (http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/105.pdf), and any additional restrictions/guidelines determined by the college.

Recreational/Hobbyist Use

Students using UAS/drones that are not affiliated with a class or faculty member must have the small UAS/drones assessed by the Safety Office and facilities before being brought to campus. The Safety Office and facilities will determine appropriate storage and areas for safe use. Students must be current members of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) before using small UAS/drones on campus, and membership can be obtained at http://www.modelaircraft.org/. Proof of membership must be attached to Olin’s UAS/drone application to be submitted to the Safety Office before arriving on campus at the start of each school year. The application can be found at https://www.olin.edu/offices-services/facilities/environmental-health-safety/forms/. Students are responsible for adhering to the rules of the FAA, the safety code of the AMA (http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/105.pdf), and any additional restrictions/guidelines determined by the college.

Any other Olin community members planning to use UAS/drones for recreational/hobbyist use on campus must contact facilities before bringing the UAS/drones to campus. Olin community members are required to be current members of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) and are responsible for adhering to the rules of the FAA, the safety code of the AMA, and any additional restrictions/guidelines determined by the college.