London police get a bird's-eye view of crime scenes thanks to drones
CBC
Drones are helping London, Ont., police gather evidence, reconstruct collision scenes and help with search and rescue.
Const. Scott Rathwell recently showed CBC News how the technology works and how it helps with investigations.
Police use a variety of drones, big and small, including the Autel Robotics EVO and Matrice 300 RTK shown here.
The Matrice 300 RTK is a drone that can travel up to 70 km per hour, reach heights of 120 meters and withstand wind speeds of 55 km/h with a 15-km range.
The large drone can take up different payload attachments including infrared cameras, lights and speakers. Depending on weather conditions and payload, it can fly for just under an hour before needing a fresh set of batteries.
Infrared cameras can identify heat signatures and expedite missing person searches, Rathwell said.
Cameras with 20x optical zoom capabilities can hone-in on key pieces of evidence at crime scenes, with some cameras able to take images of collision sites that allow software to create a working 3D model of any location.
Using drones to survey collision sites reduces road closures, Rathwell said.
The London Police Service has seven fully trained drone pilots that go through testing requirements set out by Transport Canada.
The pilots also have to take classes in a ground school and in-person training that requires a set number of hours flying and a flight review.
NAV Canada also requires a test to be completed every two years to ensure drone pilots are up to date an all recent rules and regulations.