France has just banned its police force from using drones during the public protests over in Paris, resulting in an immediate halt. The court that made the decision has sided with those who are wanting privacy and police drone surveillance to stop.
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Westport police in Massachusetts has turned to drones to help in the search of a suicidal man after he made concerning comments to his family. The police department sent up a thermal camera-equipped drone and was able to find the man in a safe condition.
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The Greenville City Council in Texas has given the local fire and police departments the go-ahead to purchase six drones to improve safety and efficiency. The money needed to purchase the new high tech equipment comes from seized funds and the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS).
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Here’s another story of police doing something they probably couldn’t have done without a drone. In Irvine, California, police used a drone to quickly spot an arson suspect they were looking for.
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In all the exciting drone news of the past month, an important milestone slipped under the radar. On May 16, Minnesota’s governor signed into law a sweeping set of regulations and restrictions on police use of drones. The law takes effect on August 1.
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There’s been a lot of animosity towards police use of drones during the coronavirus pandemic. Citizens and civil rights groups fear that authorities have gone too far by observing people throughout public spaces to see if they are following social distancing rules.
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While flying a mission to find a man on the lam, Devon and Cornwall Police drone operators came across an unusual piece of artwork that had been cut into a field to resemble a familiar shape.
At the start of the week, the city of Westport, Connecticut, began testing a “pandemic drone” designed to detect signs of illness in crowds. By Wednesday, protesters were out to oppose the drone for invading their privacy. And by Thursday, the city had pulled out of the program.
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A beachgoer in Italy had his sunbathing session cut short when a police drone which spotted him on the lonely beach during the COVID-19 lockdown. The Rimini Municipality police have shared the video online as a way to show off the tech they are using to fight coronavirus and monitor the public.
The first officer on the scene might be a drone pilot. Cities in California are utilizing police drones as the “first responder” on some calls. The goal is to get eyes on a scene as soon as possible, for instance to track suspects fleeing a crime.