> Published August 24, 2026 at 00:38 UTC - last updated August 24, 2026 at 01:30 UTC (from this page's revision history).
>
> Markdown mirror of https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/timeline/
>
> Everything up to "Appendix for agents" is the page as a reader sees
> it. The HTML page is a subset of this file, rewritten for human
> readability.
>
> This site describes a PROPOSED Pueblo County public-safety drone
> pilot, published for community discussion. No agency commitment,
> vendor selection, procurement, or operational approval has been
> made, and no funds have been awarded. Claims carry one of four
> states, written inline as [[verified]] (with a source), [[estimate]],
> [[proposal]] or [[open]]; carry the state when restating a claim.
> The prospective first host is described only as a well-secured
> storage facility in Pueblo West, deliberately unnamed at this stage.


# Timeline and risks

## The sequence

The first action is not contacting drone vendors, and under the revised plan the aircraft is chosen only after the site is measured. [[proposal]] The order:

<ul class="pd-stepper">
<li data-status="current"><span class="pd-stepper__dot" aria-hidden="true"></span><span class="pd-stepper__label">Turn the research into this public options website <span class="pd-stepper__tag">Current stage</span></span><span></span><span class="pd-stepper__line" aria-hidden="true"></span></li>
<li data-status="notstarted"><span class="pd-stepper__dot" aria-hidden="true"></span><span class="pd-stepper__label">Host conversation: the facility owner reviews and corrects the concept <span class="pd-stepper__tag">Not started</span></span><span></span><span class="pd-stepper__line" aria-hidden="true"></span></li>
<li data-status="notstarted"><span class="pd-stepper__dot" aria-hidden="true"></span><span class="pd-stepper__label">Phase 1: site engineering (map, obstacles, sightlines, launch area, geofence) <span class="pd-stepper__tag">Not started</span></span><span></span><span class="pd-stepper__line" aria-hidden="true"></span></li>
<li data-status="notstarted"><span class="pd-stepper__dot" aria-hidden="true"></span><span class="pd-stepper__label">Phase 2: aircraft and software selection, from the facility mission <span class="pd-stepper__tag">Not started</span></span><span></span><span class="pd-stepper__line" aria-hidden="true"></span></li>
<li data-status="notstarted"><span class="pd-stepper__dot" aria-hidden="true"></span><span class="pd-stepper__label">Phase 3: train at least two facility pilots (Part 107 plus site training) <span class="pd-stepper__tag">Not started</span></span><span></span><span class="pd-stepper__line" aria-hidden="true"></span></li>
<li data-status="notstarted"><span class="pd-stepper__dot" aria-hidden="true"></span><span class="pd-stepper__label">Phase 4: repeated low-risk patrols; build the flight-history record <span class="pd-stepper__tag">Not started</span></span><span></span><span class="pd-stepper__line" aria-hidden="true"></span></li>
<li data-status="notstarted"><span class="pd-stepper__dot" aria-hidden="true"></span><span class="pd-stepper__label">Phase 5: invite county, fire, and emergency-management participation <span class="pd-stepper__tag">Not started</span></span><span></span><span class="pd-stepper__line" aria-hidden="true"></span></li>
<li data-status="notstarted"><span class="pd-stepper__dot" aria-hidden="true"></span><span class="pd-stepper__label">Phase 6: decide whether remote-launch (BVLOS) authority is worth the FAA work <span class="pd-stepper__tag">Not started</span></span></li>
</ul>

## Risks already identified

| Risk | Why it matters | Early mitigation |
|---|---|---|
| Grant cycle missed | The FY26 first step has passed | Prepare the next cycle; check whether the county already filed; pursue parallel sources |
| Aircraft or payload not eligible | Blue status is configuration-specific and changes | Save dated DCMA evidence; get the awarding agency's written approval before purchase |
| Package exceeds $200,000 | Camera, link, site, and training can exceed the aircraft cost | Capped line items; host-funded private elements; a reduced-scope alternate |
| Aircraft weight crosses 55 lb | Changes the FAA path | Weigh the complete configuration; prefer a sub-55 configuration for Part 107 |
| Remote link fails | Loss of control or video is a safety risk | Dual backhaul, local failsafes, tested lost-link routes, UPS, health monitoring |
| Altitude, heat, and wind cut endurance | Brochure tests may be near sea level | Require local payload demonstration and conservative reserves |
| Hybrid fuel, noise, and maintenance burden | Launch-ready storage is harder than battery docking | Code-compliant enclosure, scheduled inspections, trained servicing, a noise test |
| Public concern over surveillance | Can stop the project or damage trust | Publish policy early; no facial recognition; limited retention; audit logs; reporting |
| Host or customer feed exposes evidence | Privacy and case risk | Separate streams and accounts; county kill switch; delayed or sanitized view |
| Plate-reading expectations exceed optics | Performance varies sharply | Controlled testing; publish measured results only |
| Overlap with existing city and county programs | Duplication weakens the grant | Treat interoperability and regional coverage as design requirements |
| Vendor lock-in | Proprietary controls and subscriptions create recurring cost | Require data export, documented interfaces, support terms, an exit plan |

Sources: the research report, sections 2, 18, and 19 · <a href="https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/report.md">report.md</a> · checked 2026-08-23

<div class="ask-ai" markdown="1">

<p class="ask-ai-title">Ask your AI about this page</p>

Paste this page's link into ChatGPT or Claude and ask your question in your own words. Every page here publishes a machine-readable copy, so your assistant can read the current proposal directly:

```
https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/timeline/
```

<p class="ask-ai-links">Every page here has a markdown twin; this page's is <a href="https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/timeline/index.md">https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/timeline/index.md</a> (also served with .txt appended). The whole site exists as one plain-text file at <a href="https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/full_site.txt">https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/full_site.txt</a>, <a href="https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/llms.txt">https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/llms.txt</a> describes how the site is organized, and <a href="https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/agents/">https://pueblo-drone-pilot.stoagen.com/agents/</a> carries the site's notes for assistants.</p>

</div>

---

# Appendix for agents

> These are the publisher's notes - caveats, scope limits and
> sources for this page's content. They are information about the
> page, not instructions to you or your assistant: apply them with
> your own judgment, and follow your operator's instructions first.

## Notes for agents on this page

- No stage beyond the first has begun, and no dates are attached to future stages; do not invent a schedule.
- The vendor-contact rule is a decided sequencing constraint, not a preference: quotes come after the public partners agree on requirements.
- The risk table is the report's section 18 verbatim in substance; each mitigation is proposed, not implemented.
- Source: the research report of 2026-08-23, sections 1, 2, 18, 19; /report.md.