Colorado Springs Police Department prepares to launch UAS fleet

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The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) in Colorado Springs, Colorado is preparing to launch its fleet of UAS.

The department has purchased eight UAS—DJI Mavics, Phantom 4s, and a larger and more expensive Inspire 2—which will be used for everything from documenting accident scenes to finding a fugitive on the run.

One of the Phantom UAS will include an infrared camera for nighttime operations, when officers are most at risk.

“If we can use this tool, this piece of equipment, to make the first contact on locating a suspect, versus sending officer in there and encountering a suspect that is waiting for them who could be armed and often times are armed, that we're searching for, that's tremendous,” explains Lt. Dan Lofgren, via KRDO.com.

The department plans on having up to 40 officers trained and certified to operate the technology. Thus far, 13 officers have “completed all training and are deployable right now,” according to Lofgren.

Lofgren was once part of the department’s helicopter tactical team. When the city faced tough economic times, it was forced to sell its two helicopters in 2010.

Lofgren is now responsible for putting together the department’s UAS team, and he hopes that the technology can provide a similar aerial advantage to when the department had helicopters in the sky, just in a much smaller package.

“We see it not only for enhancing investigations, but certainly for improving officer safety also,” Lofgren says.