Drones for Public Safety
Drones for search & rescue, firefighting, and law enforcement.
Vision Aerial drones are proudly made in America.
Using Drones for Public Safety Applications
Drones for public safety are increasingly valued for a variety of applications. In search and rescue, quickly finding people in rugged locations is key to saving lives. Firefighters use drones to develop situational awareness, identify hot spots, locate trapped people, and conduct forensic investigations. In law enforcement, drones are used for surveillance, crowd control, traffic management, accident reconstruction, and crime scene investigations.
Search & Rescue
Fire Fighting
Law Enforcement
Respond Rapidly
Receive Data
in Real-Time
Reach Inaccessible Environments
Reduce Costs
Why Vision Aerial?
Rapid Response Saves Lives
When an urgent call comes into dispatch, the response time can make the difference between life and death. Unlike helicopters, drones can be deployed within minutes from a nearby location. Drones also have the ability to scan wide areas with cameras and sensors. They can also cover more area than a ground team can and in a fraction of the time. Once the subject is found, the drone can transmit a precise GPS location. Then the subject can be reached more quickly by first responders.
Benefit from Enhanced Data in Real-Time
In search and rescue missions, thermal and infrared cameras can see what the human eye can not. Infrared cameras can spot a heat source from a human footprint from as high up as 10,000 feet. A search team on the ground can watch live feeds from video and thermal sensors. Once the missing person is found, a camera operator can zoom in with a high-resolution lens to assess their condition. This helps the rescue team determine what kind of response support is needed.
Reach Inaccessible Areas
Helicopters and airplanes aren’t always practical in urban settings. Drones can fly between buildings or hover in a spot on command. In wilderness settings, drones can reach areas not easily reachable on foot. They also have the advantage of an aerial view.
Less Expensive Than Traditional Methods
An airplane or helicopter rental can cost thousands of dollars per hour. There is also the cost of a pilot, support crew, and fuel. Small drones are considerably less expensive to deploy.
Have Questions or Need a Custom Solution?
Why Use Vision Aerial Platforms for Public Safety?
Rapid Deployment
Vision Aerial drones fold for easy transport. Go from case to flight in under 2 minutes.
Easy To Fly
Less than 4 hours of training time, intuitive controls, and ultra-smooth flight mean your team can focus on what matters.
Highly Adaptable
Our drones can carry all the best-in-class cameras and sensors. They easily adapt to support your missions as they evolve.
Capable Platforms
Long flight times combined with a substantial payload capacity ensure you have the power to get your job done.
Recommended System for Public Safety
Public Safety System (PSF)
The Public Safety Drone system (PSF) offered by Vision Aerial allows you to conduct an aerial survey a scene in both the visible light and the thermal spectrum. Perfect for applications like search and rescue, urban or wildland firefighting, and law enforcement. Detect hot spots or provide coordination for ground teams. Capture high-resolution images or video in real time.
Features quick deployment when time is of the essence, with less than a 2-minute setup. It is also easy to transport and comes in a weatherproof Pelican case that has compartments for all your accessories. It is also great for accessing hard to reach areas in rugged conditions, and it has an autonomous range of up to 16 km (10 mi) which is incredibly useful for search and rescue applications or monitoring wildfires.
The Indefinite Flight Package (IFP) allows you to charge extra batteries while you fly, enabling back-to-back missions. This system also includes 1-day of training at Vision Aerial’s Flight Center in Bozeman, Montana and a Second Year Warranty.
Key Features
- Less than 2-minute setup and breakdown
- Folds for easy transport in a weatherproof Pelican case
- Rugged construction to stand up to the elements
- Handles wind gusts up to 40 kph (25 mph)
- 16 km (10 mi) flight range†
- Indefinite Flight Package provides enough charging capacity and flight batteries to fly back-to-back missions
- Thermal and RGB camera for visual comparison
- RGB camera comes with Full HD (1920 x 1080 px) resolution
- Thermal camera can measure up to 1,500º C (2,732º F)
- 10x optical zoom
- Picture-merge feature allows you to merge a thermal image with an RGB camera image in real-time, even with 10x optical zoom
- Internal SSD disc with 256 GB memory for recording
What's Included
- SwitchBlade-Elite
- SwitchBlade-Elite Indefinite Flight Package (IFP)
- Workswell WIRIS Pro
- SwitchBlade-Elite Second-Year Warranty
- Training at Vision Aerial
Full Specifications
- SwitchBlade-Elite tricopter drone (Learn more)
- Indefinite Flight Package
- WIRIS Pro Body (640×512 px, 256 GB SSD, 30 Hz) with 13 mm (45° FOV) Lens (View Data Sheet)
- Payload mounting: Gremsy Pixy-WP gimbal (View Data Sheet)
Industry Information
How to Use Drones for Search and Rescue
Search and rescue drones are becoming popular tools for public safety teams. Some advantages they have over other methods include quick deployment, lower costs, better image resolution, improved situational awareness, and payload versatility. These are all beneficial to finding subjects quickly and increasing survival rates.
Choosing the Best Drone for Search and Rescue
Looking for the best drone for search and rescue? Read our comprehensive guide on factors to consider when selecting a drone.