Drone as First Responder No Visual Observer

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby

Using Iris Automation’s Casia G ground-based air surveillance system, Pearland Police Department has secured a certificate of authorization (COA) to operate its drone as first responder (DFR) program beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operation, removing the need for human visual observers (VOs).

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Pearland PD is now able to immediately dispatch autonomous drones in response to emergency calls, allowing for rapid situational awareness of the scene of the incident. This allows operators to relay critical information to other first responders, and results in greater safety for officers approaching the scene.

“In a climate where personnel shortages are impacting first responders across the nation, having a fully BVLOS drone as first responder program greatly enhances resource allocation while…