Police departments across the U.S. have begun to employ drones in different ways, including to find suspects, locate missing persons in search and rescue efforts, and even to disperse crowds and enforce social distancing rules during COVID-19. One report from the Police Executive Research Forum says that drones are “quickly becoming one of the most innovative and effective technologies used by police agencies today.”
Here, the Gardiner-based Hudson Valley Drones has helped local police, fire and rescue agencies by utilizing thermal imaging cameras in their drones to conduct search and rescue operations in low light situations, gain situational awareness during an emergency response, and check for hot spots at structure or brush fires.
“I think they are incredible tools that are underutilized in a lot of ways,” said Keith Perry, founder and lead drone operator at Hudson Valley Drones. “Being on an emergency scene, it’s all about getting as much information as you possibly can as quickly as possible. To take a robotic flying camera and send that up in the air, you can get a perspective you wouldn’t normally be able to achieve.”
Hudson Valley Drones has logged over 2,285 flights and more than 500 manual hours of flying time, between public agency and other business needs combined. In August, Perry’s drone technology assisted in identifying hot spots in a brush fire at the Shawangunk Ridge, which allowed firefighters to concentrate their efforts in those areas.
Continue reading: https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/outdoors/article/hudson-valley-drones-search-and-rescue-16455705.php
Here, the Gardiner-based Hudson Valley Drones has helped local police, fire and rescue agencies by utilizing thermal imaging cameras in their drones to conduct search and rescue operations in low light situations, gain situational awareness during an emergency response, and check for hot spots at structure or brush fires.
“I think they are incredible tools that are underutilized in a lot of ways,” said Keith Perry, founder and lead drone operator at Hudson Valley Drones. “Being on an emergency scene, it’s all about getting as much information as you possibly can as quickly as possible. To take a robotic flying camera and send that up in the air, you can get a perspective you wouldn’t normally be able to achieve.”
Hudson Valley Drones has logged over 2,285 flights and more than 500 manual hours of flying time, between public agency and other business needs combined. In August, Perry’s drone technology assisted in identifying hot spots in a brush fire at the Shawangunk Ridge, which allowed firefighters to concentrate their efforts in those areas.
Continue reading: https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/outdoors/article/hudson-valley-drones-search-and-rescue-16455705.php
