Drones have a wide range of applications in several industries. While their logistical usage is being implemented, law enforcement agencies have been using drones as a tool for a long time. These nifty aerial vehicles act like eyes in the sky and give access to remote areas. Drones can be fitted with numerous payloads, making them extremely modular and suitable for a variety of operations. Let’s take a look at the top 5 police drones that are currently in use:
The following list has been categorized in two parts:
- Tactical: While most police drones are for surveillance, there are a few drones that are built for more than that. They are fitted with a unique array of sensors and tools that help them relay crucial information, drop payloads or lead an on-ground operation.
- Surveillance: Surveillance is the most common form of drone application in the law enforcement sector. Police often make use of drones to gain a broader perspective of an area. Drones here are used for reconnaissance, patrol, thermal imaging, search & rescue, and hostile confrontation.
Tactile Drones
1. Anduril Ghost 4 sUAS
Anduril is a company established by experts from Oculus, Palantir, General Atomics, SpaceX, Tesla, and Google. The company is known for being one of the leading defense drones and technology providers in the US. Its Sentry Towers and the Anvil drone have been in use by the customs and border police in the US. The Ghost 4 serves both surveillance and tactical requirements.
The Ghost 4 sUAS is Anduril’s latest high-tech drone that is capable of delivering impressive results. The Ghost 4 has been tested and validated by the UK Royal Marines and Navy. Some of the factors that set the Ghost 4 apart from all other drones are:
- Lightweight and portable
- Extremely High Endurance
- Waterproof
- Great Acoustics (virtually silent)
- Superior AI processing power
These factors make the Ghost 4, the perfect police drone for all kinds of operations. Additionally, the Ghost 4 is designed to be used on a variety of missions in any environment including ISR, counter intrusion, SAR, and signals intelligence. Read more about the Ghost 4 sUAS.
2. LEMUR by BRINC Drones
LEMUR is a tactile drone created by the American company BRINC Drones. BRINC is an engineering company, based in Las Vegas, Nevada, focused on the public safety market. The BRINC Drones team is sourced from top aerospace organizations such NASA, Tesla, Pix4D, and FLIR.
LEMUR was developed in collaboration with the SWAT team of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMP). LEMUR has a 31 minute flight time with a max speed of 50 mph (80.5 km/h). The drone is equipped with a glass breaker device that can shatter tempered, automotive, and glass of most residential buildings. This is an essential tool to help ventilate burning buildings or to explore a potentially hostile area. Some reasons that help the LEMUR to stand out are:
- Rugged and highly durable design
- Glass breaker device
- Two-way communication system
- Day/Night vision system
- FPV functionality
- Highly Modular to accommodate different payloads.
Additionally, the drone is also equipped with a Lidar and autonomy functionality to assist the pilot in constrained environments. Read more about the LEMUR drone.
Surveillance Drones
3. DJI Matrice 210 RTK V2 Zenmuse XT + Z30 Zoom
DJI is known for its flagship consumer and enterprise drones. The company has a 70% market share in the drone industry. The DJI Matrice is one of the most popular enterprise drones. Paired with DJI’s Zenmuse payloads, the Matrice 210 RTK is a very handy tool for law enforcement agencies. Firstly, the drone is equipped with an RTK module that gives it global accuracy down to a centimeter. With 38 minutes of flight time and an 8km operational range, the drone can give ground teams a detailed perspective from the sky.
The Zenmuse XT is a thermal payload that consists of industry-leading thermal imaging technology of FLIR. The additional Z30 payload is a high-definition zoom camera with up to 30x optical zoom. Some reasons that help the Matrice 210 RTK to stand out are:
- Can carry two payloads at once
- Built-in RTK module
- IP43 Dust and Water Resistance
- Advanced Obstacle Sensing System
- Dual Battery Power System for Greater Redundancy
Read more about the DJI Matrice 210 RTK V2.
4. DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual
The DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual is a more affordable quadcopter that provides all the essential features to assist law enforcement agencies. It comes equipped with dual cameras- FLIR thermal camera and a 12 MP RGB camera. Additionally, the Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual can also capture infrared footage. This is useful functionality for police operations and night-time operations.
The Mavic 2 Enterprise also comes along with three accessories: M2E Speaker, Spotlight, and Beacon. These modular accessories make the enterprise a multi-functional drone. Some reasons that help the Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual to stand out are:
- Dual camera setup
- Features three modular accessories
- Dynamic Zoom functionality
- On-board 24GB storage
- Improved Flight Autonomy
- Infrared Imaging
Read more about the Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual.
5. Autel Evo II Dual
Similar to DJI’s Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual, the EVO II Dual by Autel Robotics is a great drone for surveillance operations. It boasts a higher flight time of 40 mins and does not have geo-fencing. This gives the EVO II greater operational flexibility. The drone is equipped with a FLIR Boson thermal imaging camera and a visual RGB camera. The thermal camera is capable of capturing 10 thermal color palettes as well as infrared footage.
Autel’s EVO II has a 360° obstacle avoidance system that can detect hazards as far away as 98ft. Additionally, the drone’s 48 MP visual camera can capture 4K HDR footage with up to 4x lossless zoom. Some features that help the EVO II Dual stand out are:
- 40 minute flight time
- Advanced obstacle avoidance system
- Top of the line thermal and visual imaging cameras
- No-geofencing
- Compact and lightweight
Read more about the Autel Evo II Dual.
