Law enforcement agencies have touted drones as a powerful new tool for searches and investigations, but police agencies in Utah report they've stopped using the devices after getting bogged down by federal regulations.
Some agencies admitted they were flying their aircraft without realizing they needed approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, while other police departments say they've spent about a year trying to get approval.
A state report shows no police departments reported using drones from May 2015 through April of this year.
A handful of police agencies reported flying the aircraft a year earlier, but all of them say they've now grounded their aircraft.
The FAA says it's streamlining its approval process, which local police say can take about a year.