The use of drones and hoverboards is now prohibited on campus, Vice President for Operations Jim Gray announced in two separate emails to the community on Jan. 4 and 5, respectively.

In his Jan. 4 email on unmanned aerial vehicles — also known as drones — Gray stated that the University had convened a drones committee in September. Gray wrote in an email to the Justice that the committee, which was chaired by Vice Provost and Chief Information Officer John Unsworth, was comprised of 11 faculty and staff members, including Gray, Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan, Vice Provost for Research Ed Hackett and Prof. Tim Hickey (COSI).

The ban, he noted in his original email, was based on the committee’s findings and extends to all recreational use on campus, both indoors and outside. He added that this ban will continue “while the committee gathers more information on evolving federal regulations and the constructive and educational uses of drones.”

While Gray wrote that “the indoor use of drones in teaching and research is permitted with appropriate training, supervision and notification of building administrators,” he added that “outdoor teaching or research uses of drones require the permission of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Brandeis Police Department.”

In his email to the Justice, Gray elaborated on the University’s concerns about drone use on campus, writing, “Although there wasn’t a specific incident on campus that drove our decision, there have been reports across the country of drones flying into and injuring people. There is also the issue of one’s right to not be photographed or videotaped without permission, and many drones are equipped to capture photos and videos.”

One day after his drones email, Gray wrote to the community again to inform students that the University prohibits the storage and use of hoverboards on all university-owned property, effective immediately.

In an email to the Justice, Gray stated that the University’s decision to ban hoverboards and related devices is “based on some serious safety concerns, including the well-documented risk of spontaneous combustion.”

In the past two months, there have been several cases of house fires apparently sparked by the lithium battery-powered toys. On Nov. 21, a Louisiana family’s house burned down when a newly-purchased hoverboard began shooting flames from both ends, according to ABC.

He continued, “this is a national concern, and a growing number of colleges and universities in the Boston-area and across the country have implemented similar bans.” According to the Huffington Post, approximately 20 universities have limited or banned hoverboards in the last month for similar reasons. However, Gray ended his email by noting that the University administration “will continue to monitor product-safety information and will revise this decision as merited.”