Flock Safety, perhaps best known for its license plate recognition technology, has integrated its 911 call technology into its drone-as-first-responder offering to allow clients to quickly dispatch the flying machines to emergency calls.
The idea is to offer responding officers more critical information and situational awareness before arriving at the scene. Doing so could increase the odds of catching a suspect, locating evidence or providing proper assistance to victims, according to a statement from the company.
Via this new tool, law enforcement agencies can send out drones based on “active 911 call data,” according to the statement — that is, before calls are entered into computer-aided dispatch systems.
Drone pilots can access call transcripts within the Flock Aerodome flight software. Those pilots can navigate drones via an “augmented reality overlay,” the company said. GPS coordinates determine the caller’s exact location.
Drone operations can take place as emergency call operators continue to take in information from 911 requests — a process that can be slowed down because of the heightened emotional states of callers, Flock said.
As more police departments consider the use of drones as first responders, state and local governments are turning to the latest versions of the machines to make their jobs even more effective.
One recent example of that newest drone technology comes from WaveAerospace. The Connecticut startup sells drones designed to operate in rain, ice and heavy winds, giving law enforcement agencies more eyes in the sky even during bad weather.
