A southern Alberta police service is engaging in a pilot project where drones will be remotely piloted by trained officers during various calls for service. The Medicine Hat Police Service (MHPS) says for the past couple days, equipment provided by Skydio have been piloted from the community’s headquarters during emergency and operational calls. During those flights, the MHPS collected deployment data, response footage and performance metrics. All this information will be used to learn more about drone technology and its usefulness for police. “The MHPS is exploring the use of drone technology to determine whether it can enhance community and officer safety by providing timely, up-to-date information that helps guide a safe and effective response to calls for service,” the service said in a statement. Police say all applicable laws related to flying drones will be followed and they “will be used only to support public safety operations.” These drones are different from existing drones currently in use by the MHPS, which all require the pilot to be at the scene of calls who must maintain visual contact with the aircraft. “The proposed system can be deployed autonomously from the station before officers arrive, providing a faster response and relaying valuable real-time safety information to responding members. This early situational awareness can help officers better assess risks and coordinate an appropriate response,” the service said. All information collected during the pilot will be handled with applicable privacy legislation and MHPS policies. The pilot project wraps up on Friday, and all information gathered will help guide decisions about the future implementation of an expanded drone program.
