The Niceville Police Departments UAS Unit is comprised of five FAA-certified and licensed operators.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are very powerful and versatile officer and community safety tools. Light weight and easy to transport, UAVs can be quickly deployed to assist Police personnel in enhancing public safety, and search and rescue operations. The UAVs will be used to provide aerial support during emergency Police operations, and provide an added layer of transparency and accountability by recording aerial video of these incidents. The UAVs will utilize a high definition camera and/or forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera system to provide real time situational awareness, which will help public safety officers in locating both suspects and victims.
In addition to providing situational awareness to public safety and other City personnel, the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) program will assist in crime scene reconstruction, and disaster management. The UAV program will have the added benefit of enhancing safety to first responders by limiting their exposure to the dangers of natural disasters, chemical, and biological threats.
What the UAS Unit Does NOT Do
The UAS Unit will not be used:
- to conduct random surveillance activities;
- to target a person based solely on individual characteristics, such as, but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, national origin, religion, or disability;
- to harass, intimidate, or discriminate against any individual or group;
- to conduct personal business or any other unauthorized use.