Public Safety

UAV Benefits

  • Provide quick response to emergency situations
  • Maintain surveillance from a safe distance
  • Improve efficiency during search and rescue or man-hunt missions
  • Identify hot spots in fires
  • Assist in hazardous materials situations

UAV Challenges

  • Finding public funding for emergency equipment
  • Developing licensing and training opportunities to meet FAA requirements
  • Case law is very new for UAV usage

Public Safety Examples

Thermal image cameras for searching, image at night
Search and rescue or manhunt missions

Finding people in an emergency situation can be difficult, especially at night. This picture...

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Image of a building taken at night (Thermal image cameras)
Police surveillance

Drones allow a police officer to operate in a safer environment by observing persons of interest...

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Image of a railroad
Railroad safety

As part of Fred Whitford’s new railroad safety topic, presented at field days and to Purdue...

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Image of a collage of several images inside a building
Building clearing

Police officers can use a drone to look for people inside a building in active shooter or hostage...

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Image of a fire in the forest, picture taken from above
Fire hot spots

Fire departments and public safety professionals can use a drone with a thermal camera to see hot...

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