Saskatchewan RCMP issuing drones to all 82 police divisions

Though police departments across the world have been making the most of UAV performance in public safety and law enforcement work, officials of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in Saskatchewan are going further by making drones a standard issue asset for of the province’s 82 divisions.

Saskatchewan RCMP has announced it is already about a third of the way toward equipping all its police divisions with at least one drone and qualified pilot to operate the craft. Launched in January, the expansion project aims to have all its forces airborne (or prepared to take flight when necessary) by April of next year.

According to the force’s communiqué on the campaign, Saskatchewan RCMP first began deploying drones way back in 2010 to provide elevated visual support in policing the province’s 651,900 square kilometers. 

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The push to generalize the availability and use of UAVs seeks to facilitate their faster, safer, and effective operation in tasks ranging from crime scene photography, accident reconstruction, search and rescue, rapid reconnaissance of hazardous environments, and short-term critical incident monitoring.

Two types of drones are being issued to Saskatchewan RCMP units across the province. DJI Mavics are the primary craft involved for use in the most frequent scenarios, while Yangda fixed wing Sky Fury UAVs will be scrambled for longer duration search work and broader situational awareness objectives. 

Devin Pugh, head of Saskatchewan RCMP’s Support Services Section, says expanded use of drones in police operations has become both more compelling and affordable with the increased availability of onboard tech like thermal sensors and high-definition video cameras.

“By utilizing this innovative technology, we are able to provide crucial air support for our officers on the ground in real time, said Pugh. “Expanding this to all of our detachments across Saskatchewan, will most certainly increase our ability to effectively respond to crimes in progress and support search and rescue operations much more efficiently.”

The force remains aware of residents’ privacy concerns over having such piercing tech aloft, however. Pugh notes that strict rules are being placed on UAV deployment for specifically defined purposes – among which general surveillance is not included.

Amid the precautions placed on Saskatchewan RCMP drone use are careful selection and full documentation of sorties, and either judicial approval or land, home, or business owner permission of flights whenever issues of privacy rights may arise. 

Craft will not be equipped with any facial identification tech, meanwhile, and any captured footage retained will be securely stored on specialized, in-house police facilities.