In Los Angeles, a test of 5 pounds-heavy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV aka drones) is under process. Equipped with a GPS & a camere, they can fly at speeds up to 30 miles (48 kilometers) per hour for 70 minutes and cost between 25,000 and 30,000 dollars. AFP summarizes that :

Police say the drone, called the SkySeer, will be able to accomplish tasks too dangerous for officers and free up helicopters for other missions. “This technology could be used to find missing children, search for lost hikers, or survey a fire zone,” said Commander Sid Heal, head of the Technology Exploration Project of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. “The ideal outcome for us is when this technology becomes instrumental in saving lives.”The SkySeer would also be a helpful tool to nab burglary suspects on rooftops and to chase down suspects fleeing on foot. The plane collapses and can fit into a shoulder pack smaller than a golf bag. Its portability and ease of assembly could be a big advantage for law enforcement. “It’s basically a high-tech kite that field officers could set up in a matter of minutes,” said Heal.

Read the charateristics of the product and the press kit from skyseer’s website, it’s impressive! I’m curious about which RF technology it’s using for being radio-commanded.

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