Californian police department approved for after-dark drone flights
California’s Campbell Police Department (CPD) has received permission to operate drones beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) at night
The permission will allow CPD to fly drone as first responder (DFR) operations during the hours of darkness without a visual observer, allowing for 24/7 operations.
The police department is the first organization to receive the Part 91.113(b) approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
“This FAA approval is a major milestone for our department and our community,” said Chief Gary Berg of the Campbell Police Department. “With the ability to conduct drone operations day or night without the need for visual observers, we can respond faster and more effectively to emergencies, improving both officer and public safety.”
The BVLOS operations are facilitated by Axon’s DedroneBeyond virtual visual observer system, which has been implemented by CPD. Axon announced its takeover of the technology’s developer, Dedrone, earlier this month.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at AirMed&Rescue. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.