Application of UAV Technology in Local Public Administration: Evidence from Polish Municipalities

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology is increasingly applied across various socio-economic domains. This article focuses on the non-military use of UAVs to support governance at the lowest level of local government in Poland—municipalities ( gminas ). The study had a pilot and inventory-based character. Its main objective was to determine whether municipalities are using UAVs, for what purposes, and under what conditions. The statutory responsibilities of municipalities served as a framework for assessing areas of application. In particular, the study examined whether UAVs support basic data collection or more advanced functions such as informing, analysis and control, planning support, or decision-making. To facilitate the assessment, the UAV Maturity Model for Local Government (UMMfLG) was developed. Data were collected from 22 municipalities located in the northern part of the Silesian Voivodeship in Poland. The findings suggest that UAV usage remains at an early stage of the UMMfLG. However, the observed trends indicate that adoption is likely to expand in the future. Current barriers include a lack of technical knowledge, organizational and financial constraints, and limited access to complementary technologies such as image processing software or Geographic Information Systems (GIS).