Police in Alabama Community Preparing to Use UAS
Unmanned aircraft systems are headed to Limestone County, Alabama, after a $30,000 contract between the sheriff’s office and Huntsville-based Avion Solutions Inc. was signed on Thursday, July 28. The contract, which will have its costs covered by the department’s proceeds from the Limestone County Rodeo, will provide for the systems, technical support and training provided to the local law enforcement who will oversee them.
At the end of August, six deputies will begin Federal Aviation Administration training on how to properly operate a UAS called the PSI Tactical Robotics InstantEye. The deputies will train with another UAS, the DJI Phantom 3 Pro, before using two InstantEyes once training is complete. Each InstantEye weighs less than a pound and will be equipped with only a camera.
The possibilities while using InstantEye are endless, according to Sheriff Mike Blakely.
“It's going to be an excellent opportunity to expand our capabilities,” says Blakely. “This is something that's really been on the back burner the last few years. We're just now able to take advantage of it. This is something that can really save on man-hours and even save lives.”
The hope is that InstantEye can not only add another set of eyes to a situation, but that it can also make difficult and stressful situations more manageable in an effort to keep the citizens of Limestone County safe.
“Obviously, if you know what you're dealing with, the more you know about it without having to put men and women in uniform in the way of possible threats, then you make better decisions,” says Public Information Officer Stephen Young via WSFA.com. “Primarily, the mission is to save lives.”
As of right now, the plan is to have the two InstantEyes up and flying around the community by the end of the year.
