The Vermont State Police has launched an Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program and purchased 11 new unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) that it has deployed throughout the state. The VSP demonstrated the capabilities of the UAS at a press conference on Oct. 30.
The units were paid for using federal grant money, and 13 pilots have received training and passed a certification exam administered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The pilots are available to respond to emergencies throughout Vermont and assist other law enforcement agencies as needed. The primary use of the aircraft will be to respond to missing persons and to assist with investigating automobile crash scenes.
VPS has three large drones and eight smaller ones, costing $105,000 total, Valley News reported. Concern for privacy is one of the reasons the program took so long to establish, and there are now state laws determining the use of drone footage as well as a drone policy created by the VSP.
