Texas: Arlington Police Get Federal Approval to Fly Drones Across City
March 20th, 2013Via: Dallas News:
Two remote-control helicopters could be photographing crime scenes and searching for missing people in Arlington as soon as next month.
Arlington Police Chief Will Johnson announced Thursday that the Federal Aviation Administration has given the city permission to get the rotors turning on the project in late February.
Police are quick to emphasize that the 4- to 5-foot-long aircraft aren’t the same as military drones.
“They’re unmanned aircraft,” Arlington police spokeswoman Tiara Richard said. “They aren’t military grade. They’re somewhere in between that and remote-control helicopters that are used recreationally.”
The unmanned craft, which can fly at speeds up to 40 mph, are intended as a more affordable alternative to traditional police helicopters usually employed in search missions.
