TCHULA — In the near future, law enforcement will increasingly rely on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles.
On Tuesday, representatives from several agencies got a glimpse of what UAVs — commonly known as drones — can do.
The demonstration was put on by Delta Solutions Unmanned Aerial Systems of Cleveland, Mississippi. Delta Solutions, which was founded in 2014, operates its drones under an agreement with law enforcement agencies and also provides drone service to farmers.
“It saves farmers a ton of money because they put down less fertilizer, less pesticides,” said Bill Blackwelder, president and CEO of Delta Solutions.
The company already has contracts with the Sheriff’s Departments of Bolivar and Washington counties, the Drug Task Force in Panola County and three other agencies.
Among those attending the hourlong demonstration were Leflore County Sheriff Ricky Banks, Sunflower County Sheriff James Haywood and Tchula Police Chief Kenneth Hampton.
“I’ve never seen one before that really worked. It’s amazing what it will do,” said Banks.
Whether they are searching for a missing person or an Alzheimer’s patient, tracking an escapee or just being used for overall surveillance, drones can be a cost-effective alternative to helicopters and other labor-intensive search methods, Blackwelder said.
The company has a host of drones that can provide for high-resolution mapping capabilities or ones with high-resolution imaging and infrared imaging.
Infrared, for example, can be used to distinguish between corn and marijuana plants in a field.
A drone flew over Tchula and provided both high-resolution and infrared images as part of the demonstration.
Drones are especially useful at night, Blackwelder said, because they can differentiate between individuals and buildings based upon the heat signatures that are given off.
Currently, he said, drones must flying no higher than 500 feet above the ground. If they need to fly higher, the company must file for a special permit with the Federal Aviation Administration.
The drones can cover several hundred acres per flight. When their batteries begin to get low, they automatically return to where they were launched from, said Preston White, chief technical officer for Delta Solutions.
Blackwelder said that around Oct. 1, the company would have a military-grade drone capable of even higher-resolution images.
The footage that the drone takes can be downloaded and provided directly to the law enforcement agency so that the evidentiary chain of custody is maintained, Blackwelder said.
Banks was a little skittish about how much the service might cost his department.
“We don’t know the extent of it. We might pay him a little bit of money and go from there,” he said.
Hampton said the drones would be helpful.
“It would be beneficial for us to see the city at any given time. I think it would serve as a big, big deterrent to burglaries, especially at night,” he said.
Haywood said the demonstration went well.
“It’s awesome, man. In this day, man hours — looking for things and stuff — those days are out. Technology is the way in. This is the cutting edge. It will save man hours, save time.”
• Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden @gwcommonwealth.com.
