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Could Drones Replace Police Helicopters?

By S.L. Fuller | December 20, 2016

Police, Unmanned

 
 
 
 
 

Photo by Mark Colborn

Next in line to plan drone integration for a police aviation unit could be Arizona’s Tucson Police Dept., local news outlets report. Last week, Police Chief Chris Magnus confirmed that the department was “looking at drones,” he said. Citing high helicopter operating costs, Magnus said it only made sense to explore the lower-cost unmanned option.

Tucson wouldn’t be the only drone-using police force in the area. The Sahuarita Police Dept. is getting ready for drone integration before the end of the year. The Arizona Dept. of Public Safety, reports said, is also considering the use of drones. The Tucson Police Dept. has also been encouraged to begin drone discussions due to its aging fleet of Bell Helicopter JetRangers.

While camera-toting drones are appealing to the police force, Tucson Police Officers Assn. President Roland Gutierrez recognized that officers onboard police helicopters have capabilities that drones do not — specifically in dealing with personnel on the ground.