The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office has added a new tool to their arsenal, a drone.
According to a press release, the drone, as well as a licensed pilot, will be deployed during manhunts, cases of kidnaped or missing children, missing elderly, active shooter sites and post-crime scene analysis.
“This drone will make our team more effective,” Sheriff Botie Hillhouse said. “We’ve already seen where the mere presence of the vehicle helped drive a wanted man to arresting Deputies, and we know that these aircraft give hope to people lost in rough, overgrown terrain.”
The drone comes with both photo and video capabilities and thermal capabilities as well. It can travel up to 49 miles per hour and has GPS tracking.
The drone pilot, Deputy Kyle Pochobradsky, is a Federal Aviation Administration trained and licensed drone pilot and 13-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office.
“First, you don’t want to crash the vehicle, and second, you must respect and follow the rules,” Pochobradsky said. “Citizen privacy is critical. Height, distance, speed and visual contact are the guidelines we have to follow to make this tool work best.”
