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At a recent annual conference of the National Sheriff’s Association, representatives and sheriffs from around the United States received a special presentation from university researchers and introduced the benefits of the most common type of electric aviation.
“It was a great opportunity to be in the presence of hundreds of law enforcement officers from across the country and to demonstrate K-State Salina UAS knowledge,” said Spencer Schrarder, K-State Salina USA Flight Operations Manager. “Leading discussions on security, new technologies, and information on our campus professional development program will lead to life-saving measures that first responders can use in real-world emergencies.”
His presentation focused not only on drone technologies but also on how law enforcement can make better use of those clean technologies on a daily basis.
This was part of the conference’s NSA Talks series, and the K-State Salina team decided to use the opportunity to deliver a speech entitled “Drones as First Responder.” The team also provided practical demonstrations, explained to the sheriffs and their agents how to obtain the required FAA Section 107 remote pilot license, and assisted in running a “bucket test”, pilots trying to move drones to see what’s in different buckets (more challenging than you might think).
“K-State Salina will continue to be at the forefront of the training in the public safety industry,” said Courtney Hoffman, assistant director of professional education and supply at K-State Salina. “Our year-round programs use the knowledge of our Operational Aviation Research Center staff to bring training and continuing education to law enforcement and public safety professionals.
They were also able to tell professionals about the university’s educational program for officers to use for drones. With a little information and fun hope, some sheriff’s offices will send deputies and work on the streets to gain more experience and cleaner technology.
If you are a public safety expert, check out the group’s upcoming public safety UAS workshop this October. You can find more details here.
Why is this important?
If you see unmanned aerial vehicles or children crowded, it may look like someone is picking up one at Best Buy. In some ways, that is true, but in other ways, it cannot be less true. While modern sensors and smartphone technology make it easier to use drones than ever before, that doesn’t mean you’re ready to work hard with them.
There is no control over the need to take a drone out of a retail box and send it to the sky. Recreational pilots may take a short online test to show they know the basic rules, but to do one job you must pass the Section 107 test and continue your education. Police or photographer, that’s what you need.
And that’s just a federal policy. Some states have additional laws and policies that a pilot should be aware of, and some may have law enforcement policies that an officer needs to learn or obstruct an investigation.
Another factor is that you need to be prepared to deal with the challenges of a particular field. If you think drones can hover over a scene for hours, you’re in for a treat.
This and many other things should be part of regular training, but not an individual law enforcement officer (and perhaps a mistake). It is good to see researchers and educational institutions come here to help.
Featured Image Catch A DJI Mavic Mini 3 Pro, DJI press photo
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