US-1 drone aids Campbell police mission
Impossible Aerospace’s new US-1 drone debuted at a police standoff at Denny’s (an American diner chain) in Campbell, California, US, on 8 February.
Impossible Aerospace’s new US-1 drone debuted at a police standoff at Denny’s (an American diner chain) in Campbell, California, US, on 8 February.
According to the Campbell police and SWAT authorities, the US-1 ‘provided a regular perimeter scan and more consistent video footage than the county’s helicopter’. Its persistent view informed officers that an open kitchen vent was quickly leaking tear gas, which allowed the SWAT team to adjust its strategy and succeed in achieving a peaceful arrest. The US-1 is also equipped with thermal and optical sensors and a record-breaking 90-minute battery life – providing ample aid to the police mission.
"During critical incidents, real-time intelligence is extremely important. At this recent event involving a barricaded subject with a gun, Impossible Aerospace provided a piece of intelligence that our agency previously has never had access to. The use of the US-1 drone helped us optimise the safety of our officers and the community, while providing valuable information to the command post through the live video feed. Fortunately, after almost 12 hours, the suspect was taken into custody safely. We are very appreciative of the assistance that Impossible Aerospace provided during this incident," said Gary Berg, Police Captain in Campbell.
Impossible Aerospace is a Californian startup which was founded in 2016 and is backed by Bessemer Venture Partners, Airbus Ventures and Eclipse Ventures. The company is forging partnerships with local governments as the demand for domestically-made aerospace technology continues to rise, and Impossible Aerospace said that it aims to ‘assemble the highest performance aircraft possible with electric propulsion’. The US-1 is available for delivery online at www.impossible.aero.