The Anne Arundel County Police Department is proud to announce the launch of our Patrol Drone Program, an enhancement of our existing Drone Program, a cutting-edge initiative designed to provide vital airborne support during 911 and police-generated calls for service. This program utilizes a fleet of small uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) to deliver assistance safely, responsibly, and with absolute transparency.
The mission of the Patrol Drone Program is to provide real-time airborne support, reduce response times, and enhance the quality of life for our community. This is one of the most essential tools we have for improving situational awareness, de-escalating potentially dangerous situations, and protecting both our officers and the public.
The Patrol Drone program provides our officers with a critical overhead perspective, delivering real-time information that enhances the safety of everyone involved. The key advantages of this program include:
- Faster Emergency Response: UAS/Drones provide immediate aerial views, enabling a quicker and more targeted response, and delivering help where it's needed faster.
- Enhanced Safety for All: By offering an elevated aerial perspective, UAS/drones can help officers de-escalate potentially dangerous situations, protecting both community members and police officers.
- Swift Searches: UAS/Drones can rapidly locate missing persons or suspects, bringing quicker resolutions and peace of mind.
- Optimized Police Operations: This technology enables the police department to maximize effectiveness, ensuring that resources are deployed strategically and officers are available for critical calls.
Reduced Traffic Delays: For incidents such as serious crashes, UAS/drones can quickly map and visually document the scene, minimizing road closure times and easing traffic congestion. - Special Events: UAS/Drones enhance the ability of officers and public safety leaders to effectively manage traffic and crowds attending public special events, ensuring everyone’s safety.
- Integration with Real Time Information Center: Police Department UAS/drones have the capability to transmit video and images to the police department’s Real Time Information Center, further enhancing the ability to respond to public safety incidents in an efficient and safe manner.
The Anne Arundel County Police Department is committed to administering this program with the utmost transparency and respect for privacy. To ensure public trust, we have established clear guidelines for the use of these systems:
- Public Safety Support Only: UAS/drones are permitted solely for targeted support during critical incidents and investigations, such as responses to crimes, searches for missing persons, and serious motor vehicle crash investigations.
- No Random Surveillance: UAS/drones are not permitted for random surveillance or random patrol purposes.
- No Weapons: Our UAS/drones will not be equipped with any weapons.
- Strict Adherence to Regulations: Our UAS/drone pilots are highly trained and operate in a manner consistent with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and strict departmental policies and standard operating procedures.
Drones are not new to our department. We have already seen the invaluable impact of drone technology in motor vehicle crash investigations, where they have allowed us to map fatal scenes with pinpoint accuracy and significantly reduce road closure times. The successful implementation of these systems in a crash investigation capacity served as the foundation for the expanded Patrol Drone Program.
For additional guidance on the Anne Arundel County Police Department's use of UAS/drones and the policies governing this program, please visit our website. A dashboard with drone-related activity will also be available for public review.