(May 21, 2024) — Today, the Cape Coral Police Department officially launched our Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Program. This is another tool our agency is using to keep our community and our officers safe.
This technology allows our department to have a view from the sky within minutes in situations where minutes really count: a missing child or elderly person, a suspect search, or an active shooter scenario.
The UAVs can be deployed in a variety of situations, including but not limited to:
- Assisting with traffic operations
- Collecting evidence at a crime scene or crash scene
- Searching for a missing person
- Searching for a suspect within a defined perimeter
- Assessing damage after a natural disaster during a state of emergency
- Assisting with surveillance operations or tactical support operations
- Assisting with training
- Providing an aerial perspective in major events/incidents involving crowds of over 50 people
For anyone that may have privacy concerns, the UAVs are for law enforcement purposes only. Everything is highly documented and regulated. Officers cannot use a drone to gather evidence without a search warrant or exigent circumstances, according to F.S.S. 934.50(3).
UAVs are cost-effective and save time when compared to helicopters. All UAVs will be operated by a certified remote “pilot” who has full control and responsibility of the UAV with the permission of their on-duty supervisor. A Visual Observer, someone trained in operations and tasked with keeping a constant line of sight of the UAV while it is airborne, is required for all flights.
All officers using the UAVs will have to pass the flight operations training, abide by all Florida State Statutes and FAA regulations, and attend monthly UAV training.
Link to a soundbite from Traffic Homicide Investigator/UAV Pilot Heath Roody: https://we.tl/t-12ONZF1RJ9
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