An important consideration for those just looking into get- ting a drone capable of thermal imaging for law enforcement is the motor confi guration. A typical quadcopter layout is what’s called an X confi guration—viewed from above, the arms are shaped like an X. A variant of this is what’s called an X8 confi guration, which has two motors on each arm for added power and redundancy. An X8 confi guration will allow the pilot to land safely after the failure of up to two motors or propellers, while an X con- fi guration quadcopter will fall out of the sky with the loss of a single motor. This added safety margin is often attractive to public safety agencies that may need to operate over people for extended periods.
Lower priced aircraft are typically only equipped with an integrated visible light camera and minimal redundancy. While they are widely available and are easy to use, they are also very tightly integrated, making them nearly im- possible to modify or upgrade with other sensors as your needs change. In the mid-range are systems like the DJI Inspire 1 or the Acquire Plexus available through professional retailers like Aerial Media Pros. Both of these platforms can carry either a visible camera or a thermal camera. The Inspire 1 can be fi tted with the DJI Zenmuse XT, while the Plexus has the benefi ts of an X8 confi guration and a gimbal, which can carry both an action camera and a FLIR Vue Pro simultaneously. If your department’s budget can handle them, fully rug- gedized systems with myriad safety features and redundan- cies built in are available in platforms like the Aeryon Scout, Altura Zenith by Aerialtronics, or many others. Not only are these systems built to much tighter tolerances, they can be outfi tted with expanded sensor packages like fully enclosed gimbals, gas sniffers, and many others. As with most other things, you get what you pay for. The lower-end systems are little more than plastic, hobby-grade aircraft. Though they provide an easy-to-fl y aircraft with im- pressive imaging capability, their expandability, safety fea-
X8 configuration drones provide greater redundancy and safety.
Thermal-equipped drones help officers observe people of interest from a distance.
tures, and redundancy leave much to be desired. However, if it’s all a department’s budget will allow, there are still ad- vantages to be had. The further you go up the cost ladder, the more capability you’ll fi nd.
Although drones are inherently fun to fl y, their real benefi t is directly related to the sensors they can carry and employ. After all, their practical utility is limited to their ability to position a sensor in three-dimensional space. While some carry an equivalent to common action cameras available at any sporting goods store, others can carry sophisticated FLIR thermal imaging cameras, and still others can carry both.
FLIR in the Air
The FLIR Vue Pro is a thermal camera designed for use on drones, and records video on-board for digital evidence collection.
Airborne use of thermal imaging is nothing new to the law enforcement community. Since the early 1980s, it’s been an integral part of modern policing from patrol to surveillance to assisting in fugitive apprehension.
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