First responders

The most recent in a long series of US government agency and legislative initiatives to squeeze DJI drones from the domestic market targets a critical user category in particular: lifesaving first responder organizations. Given the literally existential stakes that the bill poses, DJI has responded with a detailed arguments against its eventual passage into law.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) has taken full advantage the city’s announcement last summer to permit increased used of drones by official and enterprise operators, and is now planning to expand that UAV activity even more.

Public safety technology developer BRINC is joining forces with drone consulting company Skyfire to provide regulatory support, equipment, software, and training to law enforcement and emergency response agencies deploying drones.

Specialized UAV public safety and emergency program consultancy Skyfire has announced the opening of its dedicated facility for drone first responder (DFR) training, covering a wide range of scenarios for existing and adopting operators.

The San Francisco East Bay Area city of Fremont is launching what is being hailed as the nation’s first drone responder program operated jointly by municipal police and fire forces, in an effort backed by specialized UAV operation, training, and security consultancy partner Skyfire.

Were there any lingering doubt about the contribution drones can make to emergency response activity, it has now been dispelled by a Lancet study of Swedish drone startup Everdrone’s performance in rushing life-saving defibrillators (AEDs) to cardiac arrest victims.

Swedish medical drone specialist Everdrone is upgrading its aerial first response capabilities with the launch of its E2 drone, a craft designed to accelerate, diversify, and improve the critical care provided in emergencies.

Public safety and emergency response organizations using drones in their work will find it easier – and much less expensive – to monitor the airspace around them during their work thanks to a new partnership between UAV remote identification tech specialist AirSentinel, and the nonprofit DroneResponders association.

Saskatoon, Canada’s most celebrated (and possibly only) drone manufacturer, Draganfly, is taking another step in its increasingly tight relationship and operational cooperation with police, fire, and other emergency aid services by hosting the Draganflyer Xperience: First Responder User Conference in Texas next week.

AirHub, a Netherlands-based drone software maker, has announced an exciting new addition to its drone management platform. Called Live Operations, AirHub’s latest offering supercharges live video streams from DJI drones and DJI Dock with features such as AI-based object detection, live telemetry data, and sharable video links.

Surf Life Saving NSW, a water safety and emergency rescue organization in Australia, is trialing new drone technology to look for missing bushwalkers or people swept into rough seas.

An Orlando-based company planning to support emergency medical services in Florida with advanced drone delivery operations says it has reached a major new milestone by successfully getting its small UAS parachute recovery systems certified according to ASTM International standards.

Canadian drone, equipment, and operating systems company Draganfly has unveiled its new UAV payload lowering device – a unit it’s calling “revolutionary” while marketed under the more pragmatic name, Precision Delivery System.

Originally designed as a rogue drone interceptor, the Robotican Goshawk observation aircraft is gearing up for a fresh inning with police, ambulance, and fire services in Israel. A modified version of the drone will soon be seen as a first responder, assessing situations with its camera before the arrival of ground teams.

Urban air mobility startup Volocopter is finding additional ways to expand uses for its battery-powered craft beyond its principal air taxi services, most recently through a new deal concluded with fellow German organization ADAC Luftrettung to deploy the planes in emergency medical response.

Nokia’s 5G-connected drones are all set to blanket Belgium. The Finnish drone platform has been selected by Belgium’s Citymesh in a deal that would see automated drones quickly reaching emergency sites after 911 calls come in and gather critical aerial data for first responders.

Drone public safety and emergency program consultancy Skyfire is taking a major step beyond its habitual advisory activities to police and fire departments by offering its own drone first responder (DFR) services as an outsourced solution to assembling in-house UAV units.

An FAA UAS test site in North Dakota is preparing drones to support response efforts after Governor Doug Burgum declared a statewide emergency for spring flooding.

Belgian communications and connectivity specialist Citymesh has announced the launch of what it calls the world’s first nationwide network of public safety drones ready to begin onsite data collection and reconnaissance work as soon as 911 calls come in for police and firefighter help.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has authorized the Pearland Police Department in Texas to operate its drones as first responders beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) without any visual observers.

Drone safe navigation tech specialist Iris Automation will be supplying UAV services company Flying Lion with its ground-based Casia G and detect and avoid system to permit faster deployment of urgent first responder missions by client police departments.