Arlington, Texas is stepping up its crime-fighting game from the skies.The Arlington Police Department (APD) has revealed a major growth of its Drone as a First Responder (DFR) program, created to get officers real-time details before they even show up on scene.
The idea is simple however powerful: when a 911 call comes in, APD drone pilots can quickly launch a drone to the place, providing officers a live aerial view of whats taking place while theyre still en route.This state-of-the-art approach can be a game-changer.
Drones frequently beat patrol cars through city traffic, providing cops a head start on locating suspects, understanding the scenario, and preparing a much safer, quicker action.
What started as a tool to keep track of illegal fireworks throughout July 4th and New Years Eve has actually now grown into a resource for managing thefts, assaults, missing out on persons, and other immediate incidents.I want to be clear that DFR does not change our standard cops action, states APD chief Al Jones.
However this innovation presents significant opportunities for us to better serve our community, which is why we are mbracing it.
The faster we can put eyes on a situation, the much safer the result for everybody.Advertisement - scroll for more contentTaking things an action further, Arlington is now one of the couple of police departments in the nation licensed to fly drones beyond the operators view, thanks to an unique waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
That means drones can be flown from another location from APDs Real Time Crime Center (RTCC), without needing a pilot on the ground nearby.To support this, APD has set up drone docks at 2 essential places throughout the city.
These drones can be launched quickly, fly at accelerate to 50 mph, and cover a 1.5-mile radius making them fast responders when seconds matter.While the innovation is powerful, the department is also clear about its limitations.
The drones are not utilized for random monitoring.
They just respond to active require service, do not tape video while in transit, and can only record at a scene when theres a legal reason to do so.
All flights are logged, audited, and need to abide by rigorous regional, state, and federal laws.
The department even submits a public report to the state every 2 years describing every drone deployment.With the broadened DFR program, Arlington is showing how drones can support law enforcement officer on the ground.
Its a tech-forward move focused on keeping both officers and community members safer.More: DJI teases brand-new drone with spinning triple-camera systemFTC: We use earnings earning vehicle affiliate links.More.