The following is excerpted from a comprehensive report on the advanced features, capabilities and use cases of police drones. Click here to read the report in its entirety.
The first generation of drones carried a camera and that was about it. Soon, agencies discovered that they could use Velcro or tape to allow drones to carry lightweight items such as a tourniquet, hostage phone, keys or a spare magazine and ammunition. Several aftermarket remote carry-and-drop attachments for UAVs now are available.
BRINC Drones implemented one of the more interesting custom payloads is part of its USA-built LEMUR UAV itself – a cellphone with its own number – which lets crisis negotiators talk to suspects or hostages.
BRINC Drones was founded by teenager Blake Resnick after leaving the engineering program at Northwestern University at the age of 14. Having interned at DJI, McLaren and Tesla, he decided that he wanted to build an almost-indestructible self-righting drone.
The result is the LEMUR, designed from the ground up to aid tactical teams in barricade, hostage and active shooter situations through precision indoor flight – which uses another unique payload – a motorized breaching tool designed to smash tempered, automotive, and most residential glass – as seen here:
Instead of investing in autonomous flight capabilities, the nearly indestructible $8,999 LEMUR is designed for operators to fly into hard-to-navigate locations where GPS is only a dream. Unlike most other drones, the LEMUR can be flown into a building and scooted underneath a piece of furniture to watch and listen. Beefed-up radios allow the LEMUR to be controlled and to transmit audio and video even through thick concrete walls – such as a subway or sewer system.
Learn more about how the LEMUR aids SWAT operations:
Build a police drone program toolkit with these Police1 resources:
- Download our 2021 guide to drones in law enforcement eBook
- Implement the drone procurement strategies outlined in our How to Buy Guide
- Note the advanced features and capabilities available on the newest drones
- Stay current on FAA regulations, LE drone program best practices and free resources
- Listen to the following Policing Matters podcast on how one agency is using drones as first responders:
