Brookhaven Drone as First Responder

 

 

Mission:

The mission of the Brookhaven Police Department UAS Program is to enhance the quality of life for those within our community through the use of state of the art technology to provide aerial support and real-time intelligence to first responders

Overview:

In 2021, the Brookhaven Police Department successfully launched an unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) unit garnering national attention on this groundbreaking use of drones in public safety.

Commonly referred to as drones, UAS provides an efficient and effective way of providing law enforcement with critical information to respond to calls for service, emergencies, or conduct criminal investigations.

There are 16 officers assigned to the UAS team. Each pilot is required to maintain a valid FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot License. This certificate demonstrates that each pilot understands the regulations, operating requirements, and procedures for safely flying drones. In addition to obtaining Part 107 certification, BPD pilots train monthly in a variety of settings to ensure operational effectiveness. A core part of the UAS program is the Drone as a First Responder (DFR) program.

Drones are pre-positioned at launch locations throughout the city and are launched to 911 calls for service or known events and are not used for random patrols. The average response time is under two minutes. Once on scene, the drone transmits live footage to responding officers and incident commanders. Our use of drones as first responders (DFR) allows officers to view potential hazards and develop sound strategies and tactics before rushing into a potentially dangerous situation.

In 2021, our Drones responded to: 537 calls for service, 8 SWAT callouts, and 5 crime scenes photographed. Our Top Speed reached was 51 mph and over 700 combined miles were logged in 2021 for all BPD drones.

To learn more about our drones and view flight history please visit: Brookhaven Police Drones