Articles for tag dji
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Aug
25
2025
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Posted by Admin
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Far from replacing helicopters, drones are expanding the capabilities of airborne law enforcement by adding cost-effective tools for overwatch, surveillance, search and rescue, and tactical response. As a result, drones are providing police commanders with more options for doing their jobs better. This includes deploying helicopters where they are most needed, rather than for every job imaginable.
Drones: Fast, Affordable, and Flexible
There is no doubt that drones are doing more jobs in airborne law enforcement than ever before. There’s a good reason for this: Drones cost less to fly than helicopters.
“Agencies and departments are under pressure to do more with less: smaller budgets, fewer personnel, and rising expectations,” said Jason LaFond, customer success manager, public safety at Skydio, a drone manufacturer. (LaFond is also a former NYPD detective with 18 years of experience, so he personally understands law enforcement’s needs.) “This fact has driven rapid adoption of drones, particularly autonomous flight systems, because they offer helicopter-like capabilities at a fraction of the cost,” he said.
“Today, drones are being used as first responders, enabling officers to respond with complete visibility in high-risk situations, often facilitating de-escalation,” noted Wayne Baker, director of stakeholder engagement at DJI, another drone manufacturer. He adds, “For example, drones enable officers to plan safer approaches for themselves and suspects in high-risk situations.”
Mike Bucari is senior manager of marketing-Americas at Leonardo Helicopters, which manufactures drones and helicopters. “Drones (AKA unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs) are becoming more popular due to their relatively low cost, versatility, and ability to provide real-time surveillance,” he said, agreeing with LaFond and Baker. “Today, small-size multirotors are widely used for surveillance, crowd monitoring, search and rescue operations, traffic monitoring, and even in pursuit situations. Drones also allow for the deployment of specialized equipment like thermal imaging cameras, which aid in search operations and tracking suspects at night.“
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Tags:
airborne law enforcement drones
dji
Drones and helicopters
skydio
UAVs
Categories:
Opinion-Editorial
Helicopter Sectors