{"id":1111,"date":"2018-02-17T14:07:50","date_gmt":"2018-02-17T14:07:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dronesoverarkansas.com\/?p=1111"},"modified":"2019-07-14T01:41:32","modified_gmt":"2019-07-14T01:41:32","slug":"drones-can-assist-police-operations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dronesoverarkansas.com\/news\/drones-can-assist-police-operations\/","title":{"rendered":"How Drones Assist Police Operations"},"content":{"rendered":"
(PoliceOne.com<\/a>)While Un-Manned Aerial Systems (UAS) in law enforcement applications are often compared to helicopters, there is a world of difference between the two. A helicopter is a multi-million-dollar purchase, costs hundreds of dollars an hour to operate, and requires at least one commercial pilot with years of expensive training. They have much more capability, as they can carry a lot more gear and travel hundreds of miles (beyond visual line of sight), where the payload on a UAS is typically limited to a few pounds and cannot be operated beyond the pilot\u2019s visual line of sight.<\/p>\n While UAS aren\u2019t meant to replace helicopters, these limitations don\u2019t undercut the\u00a0utility of a police UAS. There are many law enforcement situations where just being able to see the situation from a high vantage point is huge.<\/p>\n UAS have been used to help locate lost children and seniors who have wondered from their homes. Crime scenes and accident investigation sites are another area where UAS are useful. A UAS can map a crime scene much faster and probably more accurately than a human on the ground can. The UAS may reveal evidence that is invisible to those on the ground because of terrain features or other obstructions. The UAS may also be able to fly in weather conditions that would ground conventional aircraft.<\/p>\n In a Florida case, a fugitive tried to hide in a swamp. A thermal camera mounted on a UAS revealed the suspect\u2019s hidden location, as well as that of some other swamp-dwellers. The cops were able to tell him over a PA system, \u201cCome to us, or four alligators are coming to you.\u201d The suspect took the first option.<\/p>\n During a protest in Richmond, Virginia, an overhead UAS was flown to prevent any conflict between pedestrians and vehicles, and assisted the police to successfully direct motor officers to stop traffic before it got intermeshed with the protesters.<\/p>\n After the Santa Rosa (CA) wildfire, a UAS recorded\u00a0this\u00a0spectacular 360\u00b0 high-resolution photo<\/a>\u00a0of the damage.<\/p>\n