White County Public Safety has purchased and placed in service a new drone that expands the county’s ability to find missing people, assess emergencies, and keep first responders safer.
The new aircraft is a significant upgrade over the drones White County Public Safety has used in the past, according to Public Safety Director David Murphy. It has upgraded thermal imaging, which lets crews see heat signatures through darkness, smoke, and dense tree cover. It also features an upgraded live loudspeaker, so responders can give “calm, clear” instructions directly to people being rescued, even before crews reach them. The new drone can also be flown in the rain, allowing public safety missions to continue when weather would have grounded earlier county drones.
White County’s mountains, forests, rivers, and growing population create challenges for emergency responders, Murphy added. “The drone gives crews a fast, safe view of situations that are difficult or dangerous to reach on foot or by vehicle.”