New Brunswick’s Kennebecasis regional police have a new eye in the sky.
A new drone, or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), arrived early in the new year as the replacement for an older, bulkier model.
At just under a kilogram, it is considered a state-of-the-art, multi-use machine which the force believes offers a significant upgrade to its aerial program established two years ago.
The Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual features two cameras: one for photos and video while the other is a thermal Flir/infrared camera. It also has a spotlight, a beacon light and a one-way speaker.
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The UAV is unique because it is compact size, said Sgt. Evan Scott.
“It’s the type of a UAV where everything is collapsed,” he said. “So, the (propellers) collapse and the arms collapse, and it can be deployed in a ten-minute period.”
That quick deployment time was attractive to KRPF Chief Wayne Gallant. In most cases, he believes the UAV would be used at accident scenes and crime scenes where important visual evidence can be gathered efficiently.
The new police tool does not fly well in high winds, but Scott said it will be used indoors as well. The unit is also approved for flight in controlled air spaces, like areas near airports and helicopter pads. Scott said previous UAVs did not have those permissions.
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Scott said five officers are trained pilots, and they must practice several hours each month.
“You have to have ongoing training and flight experience to keep up your skills because it’s not just a matter of getting the UAV off the ground, it’s being able to fly it,” Scott said. “And being able to fly it with skill.”
The force recently received authorization from Transport Canada to investigate other UAVs and operators who may not be following the law. Scott said police prefer to educate users but would lay charges, if necessary.