Redmond, Wash., police partnering with Brinc on drone tech as part of first responder program
Redmond (Wash.) Police Department is partnering with Seattle-based drone provider Brink and California-based Skedio as part of the department’s Drones as First Responders (DFR) program.
this announcement A week ago, the Redmond Police Department became the first in Washington state to receive FAA Approval Operate the drone out of sight of the observer.
Two docking stations from Brinc and three from Skydio will be added throughout the city to shorten emergency response times and minimize downtime caused by continuous battery charging.
The Redmond Police Department first began using drones for patrols in 2019 and launched the DFR program in April this year, using drones to fly remotely to perform dispatch tasks. The drone can reach anywhere in the city in about 90 seconds, broadcasting live video to the pilot, who can assess the situation and call off a ground response if appropriate.
The agency said drones are used to assist in apprehending suspects, documenting crime and crash scenes, searching for missing persons, assessing structure fires, and safely clearing building interiors.
In the video below posted on Instagram, the Redmond Police Department demonstrates how a drone is used to respond to a call about a man with a gun inside an apartment complex.
Redmond Police Chief Darrell Lowe called the partnerships a “transformative step” in the department’s response to emergencies. and in a KING 5 Exclusive Interview Last week, he called the FAA’s approval a “landmark” for the agency dealing with staffing shortages and what the DFR program means for the greater Seattle area.
May, Brink Announcement Its new “Responder” drone and docking station are designed specifically for DFR operations. The company said at the time that more than 150 agencies were using its technology to deploy 911 drones across the city.
In August, Brinc announced Integrating advanced radar technology Kirkland, Wash.-based Echodyne is being introduced to its systems to “add a layer of safety and reliability” while providing a path to FAA approval for Brinc’s customers.
Brink also createdA new software platform called LiveOpsUsed to manage and monitor drone fleets, providing real-time streaming, real-time mapping, communications and evidence storage.
Founder and CEO Blake Resnick, GeekWire “Unusual Thinkers” 2023 He was inspired to start Brinc to help first responders after a mass shooting in 2017 in his hometown of Las Vegas that left more than 50 people dead.
Resnick called the Redmond Police Department “a forward-looking agency committed to innovation in policing” and said the partnership “represents a step forward in enhancing public safety in Redmond and across the country by developing new standards for DFR.” An exciting step forward.
Redmond is Microsoft’s longtime headquarters and has about 80,000 employees.
The department said the drones were used only for call response and not for proactive patrols or general surveillance. When responding to a call, the drone’s camera is trained on the horizon, rather than on people or buildings below, to protect community members’ privacy.
2024-12-05 17:02:45