Public Safety Drones

UAS for Public Safety Applications

UAS (unmanned aerial systems) and drones are used by a wide range of public safety agencies, including law enforcement, firefighters, search and rescue teams, medical professionals, and other federal government agencies.

They provide a vital “eye in the sky” capability, providing enhanced situational awareness while reducing the risk of harm to both operators and members of the public.

Law Enforcement 

Orion 2 Tethered UAS for Public Safety by Elistair

Public safety drones are highly applicable to police work, and can be used to locate suspects and persons of interest at lower operating costs than manned aircraft or helicopters. They can also be used to gather evidence at crime scenes and road accidents. Tethered multirotor drones are often deployed by law enforcement to provide crowd monitoring, surveillance and security, especially at large public events such as concerts or sports.

Counter-UAS

Public safety UAS can also be used in a counter-UAS capacity to protect against rogue drone threats, They may do this by physically intercepting the drones to knock them out of the sky, or by using devices such as net launchers or low-velocity kinetic projectiles.

Falcon II LE UAS for Public Safety Applications by WaveAerospace

Firefighting

Public safety applications for UAV also include firefighting. Drones equipped with thermal imagers are ideal for inspecting buildings and finding fire hotspots, and can get close to fires without the need to put responders in harm’s way. Some firefighting drones can even extinguish small fires, using onboard tanks of water or fire suppressant foam or by interfacing with the hose from a fire truck or hydrant.

Search & Rescue

Black Eagle 50 Unmanned Helicopter for Emergency Response by Steadicopter

Drones equipped with visible and thermal cameras are often used by search and rescue teams to find persons in distress, providing quick and easy deployment when time is of the essence. Multirotor drones may be used when the terrain is too uneven to launch a fixed-wing UAV, or when extra maneuverability is required in tight spaces. Search and rescue drones can also be equipped with other sensors such as cellphone signal locators, and can also be used to provide victims with essential supplies such as food, water and medicine until a ground-based team can arrive.