Police drones are increasingly appearing on the scene of law enforcement agencies to assist officers in their daily duties. According to research, about 70% of public safety agencies publicly own drones for law enforcement purposes.
Law enforcement drones are efficient, precise, and safe. Equipped with high-definition cameras and multiple sensors, they can help police departments quickly respond to incidents, map crime scenes, scout locations before operations begin, perform rescue missions, and ensure that everyone involved in the operation personal safety.
Here are our picks for the top 5 law enforcement drones of 2023 built to enhance police work.
1. Autel Max 4T
Autel Max 4T is a new commercial drone launched by Autel Robotics in 2023. The UAV drone has a high-quality camera, multiple sensors, long flight time and leading A-Mesh networking technology, which can provide sufficient emergency response for law enforcement agencies.
Autel Max 4T is a leading commercial UAV drone, with 15s rapid deployment, 42 minutes flight time, 20km image transmission distance, 8k 10x optical zoom, and can replace a variety of payloads, such as Loudspeaker, Spotlight, strobe, RTK, etc. It can be a lifesaver in hostage taking, negotiation or even search and rescue operations.
Autel Max 4T has an IP43 protection level for the fuselage, and can fly in an environment where GPS is rejected, create an autonomous flight path, realize 720° obstacle avoidance, and perform rescue operations in harsh environments.
Autel Max 4T has powerful cameras, including 4K wide-angle camera, 8K zoom camera, 640*512 thermal imager, and laser rangefinder. Police officers are able to secure locations, gather critical information, and determine the severity of dangerous situations before dispatching law enforcement officers to potentially dangerous locations.
The networking technology of EVO MAX 4T allows operators to drive multiple drones at the same time, improving the efficiency of BVOLS operations. EVO MAX 4T is also able to cooperate with Autel EVO Nest and Autel Skycommand Center for the execution of drone autonomous missions.
The Autel Max 4T is the police drone of choice for law enforcement to gather critical situational awareness and strategize.
2. DJI Matrice 300 RTK
The DJI Matrice 300 RTK is an easy-to-use commercial drone that is effective for law enforcement applications. With a flight time of up to 55 minutes and a payload capacity of up to 2.5kg, advanced AI capabilities, 6-way obstacle avoidance and a transmission range of 15 kilometers, the DJI Matrice 300 RTK is a fast responder among law enforcement drones.
The Pinpoint function of DJI Matrice 300 RTK can quickly mark objects on the camera or map, and then calculate the coordinates. Smart Track can help police identify and track moving objects.
The DJI M300 series can carry a variety of different payloads at the same time. It has an automatic obstacle avoidance sensing system and dual control functions, giving the drone greater flexibility when flying to track suspicious persons.
The DJI M300 series can be equipped with a thermal imaging camera load. Thermal imaging technology allows police to see through smoke, fog and other obstructions.
3. DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced
The DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced is a highly effective public safety drone with a thermal sensor array, a 48 MP vision camera and a 10km HD transmission range. Its powerful dual-vision camera system with 32x zoom works well for crowd monitoring, surveillance and crime scene analysis.
DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced can achieve rapid deployment, and use high-definition cameras for bird's-eye surveillance, effectively handling different law enforcement scenarios.
DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced is currently one of the common choices for law enforcement drones in terms of practicality, but DJI obviously has more advanced configurations for law enforcement drones.
4. Autel EVO II Dual 640T V3
Autel EVO II Dual 640T V3 is an upgraded version of Autel 640T V2, with the same appearance design, compact folding body, 38 minutes flight time, 8K@25fps video capture, omni-directional obstacle avoidance and 640*512@30fps radiation Thermal imaging function, 15 kilometers long-distance image transmission.
Autel EVO II Dual 640T V3 weighs only 1150g, is small in size and easy to transport, and can be deployed quickly. Drones cannot add payloads. EVO II 640T Enterprise V3 can replace more payloads for precise operations.
The visual image and thermal image of Autel 640T V3 are superimposed, and it can shoot 8k 4x lossless zoom video. The RGB camera is configured with 1/1.28 CMOS 50MP, which means that law enforcement can capture finer details and monitor even at a distance Condition.
Autel 640T V3 is able to perform mission planning as well as third-party SDK support. Another big competitiveness is that it does not have geo-fencing. No geofencing means this drone can take to the air quickly without additional hoops or forced firmware updates.
5. DJI Matrice 200 V2
The DJI Matrice 200 V2 also serves as a high-endurance public safety drone for police law enforcement. With a flight time of 38 minutes, a dual battery system and a transmission range of 8 kilometers, as well as multiple payload configuration replacements, it is an extremely cost-effective industrial drone.
One of the most appealing aspects of the DJI Matrice 200 V2 to law enforcement is the drone’s discreet mode, which disables the LED navigation lights for more stealthy operations, an important safeguard for aerial stealth reconnaissance. Meanwhile, the data transmission of DJI Matrice 200 V2 is protected by AES 256 encryption.
Capable of carrying payloads of up to 1.2kg, the Matrice 200 V2 is also a vital transport asset in emergency situations. The drone is also equipped with obstacle avoidance and collision avoidance systems, and a variety of replaceable payloads, bringing effective assistance to law enforcement agencies.
Final Thoughts
There is no doubt that drones are increasingly becoming an important tool for law enforcement agencies. The best law enforcement drones can fly autonomously through remote control or preset routes, equipped with various sensors and equipment such as high-definition cameras, infrared cameras, thermal imaging cameras, and laser radars, to actively deal with emergencies and effectively improve the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies.
FAQs
Can Law Enforcement Agencies Use Drones?
Generally, yes, as long as they follow the rules set by the Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) or whatever regulatory body has jurisdiction over their territory.
Do police forces need a special permit to fly drones?
Unnecessary. Law enforcement agencies don't need a special permit to operate drones. However, they must comply with FAA regulations.
What drones are law enforcement using?
Law enforcement agencies around the world use different types of drones depending on their needs. Law enforcement drones tend to have enhanced flight performance and drone payloads.
Why do police use drones?
Drones have become an essential tool for law enforcement agencies around the world. They are able to provide real-time information quickly. Depending on the model and payload configuration, drones can also locate suspects, break doors, deliver tactical supplies, illuminate an area at night, and more. These capabilities make drones an effective force multiplier in law enforcement operations and help officials make critical decisions quickly.
How are drones used for law enforcement security?
Law enforcement security drones are becoming increasingly popular because of the many benefits they offer. For example, they can be used for aerial photography and videography in public safety operations such as search and rescue missions, crowd monitoring and suspect tracking, illegal and criminal activities, fires, disasters, etc., for real-time monitoring and feedback of on-site conditions.
How high can law enforcement drones fly?
Drones usually have a flight height limit, but if law enforcement agencies need the drone to fly high enough, they can apply to unlock the drones height, but law enforcement drones flying at unlimited heights need to be approved by the FAA.
Can drone flight data be used for law enforcement?
Law enforcement drones need to ensure the security of flight data, so encrypted transmission is required. It is not possible and will not be possible for law enforcement to take data readouts of private aircraft drones.
Can law enforcement use drones in populated areas?
Based on the guidelines of law enforcement needs, most of them are possible.
Can Law Enforcement Use a Drone to Fly Over Your Home?
Inevitably, while a law enforcement drone is at work, it may fly over your home. But that doesn't mean law enforcement can use drones to search private property unless you're a suspect.
