Canyon County, Idaho, is one of the first places in the USA to get FAA approval to use an unmanned surveillance aircraft for emergency operations.
Canyon County emergency officials say it can help in the biggest emergency situations – whether to track a wildfire or help locate a missing person in the water.
“This device allows us to use our manpower better,” said Deputy Chief Steve Donahue of the Caldwell Fire Department. “So rather than taking our whole station down there – three pieces of apparatus and do something, we might be able to do it with one piece of apparatus and leave the other two to handle calls in other areas.”
Donahue says residents don’t need to worry. “Our intent is not to use this to spy on people,” he said. “Our intent is to use this in emergency situations to help remediate those situations as fast as we can.”
The Draganflyer is scheduled to arrive in just a few weeks.
Source: Fox 9