Redmond Police Department receives BVLOS drone approval
Police in the US city of Redmond, Washington, are now permitted to fly their drones without human observers
Police in Redmond, Washington, have received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval to fly drones beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS).
The Redmond Police Department is now one of a handful of police forces in the USA that have been permitted to fly drones without human observers.
The change will support the department’s drone-as-first-responder (DFR) program, and is expected to create opportunities for more flexible and advanced aerial policing operations in the city.
“This is a monumental step toward improving response times and enhancing public safety, efficiency, and potential applications,” said Darrell Lowe, Chief of Redmond Police Department.
The FAA also gave its approval for BVLOS flights to Oswego City Police Department, in the US state of New York, earlier this year.
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.