- Australian-first 'Drone in a Box' trial underway
at Yanchep Police Station
- WA Police Force using technology to support
emergency response
- Strategically positioned drone dock enables
instant deployment of aerial asset
- Trial established following similar successful
international programs
The Western Australia
Police Force has begun trialling Drone in a Box technology to improve safety and
enhance intelligence gathering for officers responding to emergencies.
Footage captured by the
unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can be live streamed to the mobile phones of
frontline police, as well as officers and other agencies at the State Operations
Command Centre (SOCC).
Stored in a transportable
drone dock, the aerial asset can be deployed in strategic locations, launched
remotely and have its battery automatically recharged.
To date, 80 flights have
been completed as part of the Yanchep Drone in a Box trial, including
successful use during simulated public safety scenarios such as missing person
searches and the tracking of wanted vehicles.
The year-long pilot program
will progress through
three phases to thoroughly test the technology and its application in a
range of weather conditions. Under appropriate approvals from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), the trial
will see Drone in a Box operators transition from line-of-sight control to remote
operation.
The trial comes after similar programs in other
countries reported successful outcomes.
Comments attributed to Police Minister Paul Papalia:
"This is yet another example
of the Western Australia Police Force leading the nation in adopting modern
technology to enhance emergency response capability and make WA safer for
everyone.
"Drone in a Box
technology could mean WA Police have eyes on an incident before responding
officers arrive.
"Having a bird's-eye view
of a situation in real-time could give police important intel they otherwise
wouldn't have had, allowing officers to make informed decisions on the ground."
Comments attributed to Police Commissioner Col Blanch:
"Every second counts in
an emergency, so I'm excited to see if Drone in a Box technology can better
protect my troops and potentially help them to make life-saving decisions
faster.
"WA Police Officers face
dangerous situations everyday so if I as Commissioner can use innovative
technology like this to keep them safe, it's something I'm eager to
investigate.
"This technology also
allows us to securely live stream footage to other agencies such as DFES or St
John WA during large scale emergency situations."
