Can’t Hide From the DJI Matrice

On Thursday, August 22, a railroad worker made a 911 call stating that a man was passed out on the train tracks. The East Longmeadow Police Department jumped in to help locate him using their drone unit.

This occurred near the Maple St overpass in Monson, Massachusetts.

According to the worker, the man looked to be extremely intoxicated. Upon approaching the tracks, the man woke up and ran off into the woods. Monson officers decided to utilize the East Longmeadow Police Department’s Drone Unit to locate the man, who they apparently knew as someone that “only posed a danger to himself.”

Photos of the officers involved show a drone that seems to be from the DJI Matrice family. These drones are commonly used for law enforcement operations throughout America, and are a “proven platform that meets the rigorous and diverse demands of police work, offering benefits in surveillance, search and rescue, and tactical operations,” DJI states. The Matrice has a relatively lengthy flight time, allowing police drone pilots to cover more ground and remain airborne in critical situations.

Law enforcement agencies worldwide have begun switching to drone units. They offer a more financially sensible airborne alternative to helicopter services, which can run up to 3 grand per flight hour. They also provide significantly shorter response times, enabling officers to quickly and effectively analyze a given situation. And, due to their size, they can easily put eyes on hard-to-reach areas.

Although this specific incident may not have led to public endangerment, it was certainly a worthy use of UAS capabilities. The man was able to be brought home safe, and police thanked the railroad worker for their assistance.

FMI: www.monson-ma.gov, www.enterprise.dji.com