The Logan County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) recently introduced a new piece of equipment: the DJI-M30T drone.
According to its manufacturer, this drone is an essential tool for law enforcement, especially for critical missions and emergency situations.
It features a powerful thermal camera that captures heat signatures, making it easier to locate people or hotspots even in difficult conditions.
The drone also boasts an impressive 200x hybrid zoom lens, allowing for detailed surveillance from a distance without disturbing the scene or alerting targets.
Additionally, it includes smart flight modes, such as automated search patterns and object tracking, which make operations more efficient.
Overall, the drone is a powerful tool for deputies.
Deputies Adam Wood and Shawn McIntire are the two trained operators of the drone.
Both have completed their Part 107 Training, which certifies them to fly the drone through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Wood talks about the drone, what it can do, and what the addition means for the LCSO:
According to Sheriff Randy Dodds, the drone purchase was not made from the Sheriff’s Office budget.
Instead, the nearly $15,000 needed for the drone came from generous donations, including the Behind the Badge program, Midwest Corporate Air, and Teri Frymyer.
Sheriff Dodds says he is grateful for the community support and that the drone is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to technology changes:
The drone was most recently used earlier this week and played a key role in helping locate an escaped inmate that the Logan County Sheriff’s Office had been searching for.
