SMART-TD Says Drones are Dangerous Distractions in the Workplace

The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers - Transportation Division (SMART-TD) has taken its concerns about drones flying above train yards to the FAA. The so-called ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ message, if approved, would require drone operators to receive training and specific authorization before flying in active rail environments.

“Our rail yards are not laboratories or surveillance zones. They’re our offices,” said Jared Cassity, SMART-TD’s National Safety and Legislative Director. “When a drone flies overhead, it’s not just a nuisance; it’s a distraction in one of the most dangerous work environments in America. And make no mistake: if something goes wrong, it won’t be the manager behind the joystick who gets hurt. It’ll be one of our members. There is nothing cute, cool, or futuristic about any of that.”

SMART-TD is also calling for mandatory notification to workers before any drone use, strict licensing and training requirements for operators, and a federal risk analysis of drone-related distractions and accidents.

The union argues that drones operated by untrained personnel are hazardous in areas where heavy machinery, moving trains, and high-voltage equipment are routine. Cassity added that, if drones are constantly overhead, “we lose our ability to tell the difference between a company drone, a spy drone, or one armed with explosives.”

SMART-TD also accused management of using drones to “spy” on workers rather than improve safety. Don Roach, Deputy Director of the National Safety and Legislative Department for SMART-TD, said in no uncertain terms that those not doing the work should be left out of safety discussions.

“We’re the ones with boots on the ballast. We understand the hazards, the noise, the moving machinery. A manager in the weeds with a drone doesn’t belong anywhere near our people,” he claimed.

SMART-TD’s petition, filed under FAA Docket No. 2025-1908, frames the issue as a matter of both worker safety and national defense. Whether the FAA agrees remains to be seen.

FMI: www.smart-union.org