Drones help long arm of law reach for sky

DRONES have been deployed to assist police operations in Tasmania 227 times over the past year, including locating stolen cars and firearms on a large farm property last week.

Three new types have just been added to the force’s drone fleet with 22 now in use across the state’s three districts.

The second rollout of remote- controlled aircraft was announced on Monday and is part of a $ 400,000 state government funding program.

Police Minister Mark Shelton said the drones could assist with traffic management, search and rescue operations, forensic services, road crash rescues and solving crime.

“They will fly further, they have a longer flying time, they have a greater carrying capacity,” he said.

“These drones have the technology to fly over a road accident situation in about 15 minutes and create a 3D image of that site.

“In the past it would have taken investigators with a tape and camera taking photos and so forth and the road could have been closed for several hours.”

Twenty officers have so far been trained to pilot the drones and another five are set to be upskilled through the second round of the program.

Acting Assistant Commissioner and chief drone pilot Robert Blackwood said drones had been used “really effectively” over recent weeks in relation to officer safety and solving crime.

He said the aircraft helped provide situational awareness and increase officer safety.

“The drones are used quite often in relation to vehicles that evade police,” he said.

“When an attempted intercept is made and the vehicle doesn’t stop, the drone is a really useful tool to then follow that vehicle without requiring police to be in close proximity.

“We can then see where the vehicle goes and send police to that location and apprehend the offender.”

The larger drones can carry 6kg and can deliver supplies such as rope, a mobile phone or bottled water to those in need during rescue operations.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Blackwood said the gadgets could be deployed in conjunction with or instead of helicopters, saving costs.

Officers must obey Civil Aviation Safety Authority rules and regulations when flying the drones.