VANCOUVER, Wash. — The Vancouver Police Department is looking to expand its drone program to include aircraft that can act as first responders, potentially arriving at 911 calls faster than officers on the ground.
While law enforcement agencies have used drones — called uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) by VPD — for nearly two decades, using them as first responders is a relatively new development. Sgt. Brian Viles, who oversees the department’s UAS program, said the technology has already proven valuable for both safety and efficiency.
“Getting eyes on from a distance, providing that real-time information to officers — that’s been huge for us,” Viles said. “It helps us know exactly what we’re going into.”…