The Cochise County Sheriff’s Office is implementing a new drone program this fall. The office has partnered with a company that says the tech is a custom order with nothing like it on the market.
In an effort to improve U.S.-Mexico border surveillance and operations the county partnered with Draganfly to create what the company calls an "innovative design.”
The Canadian manufacturer has deployed its drones for de-mining efforts, humanitarian aid in Ukraine as well as projects on the northern border and for other countries.
CEO Cameron Chell says usually surveillance drones can’t hold more than a camera and can’t fly very long. But this new design can fly up to seven hours at a time.
“Fly at well over 70 miles per hour that can also carry close to 100 pounds in payload so that might be humanitarian supplies, it might be critical equipment," Chell said.
He says it will also act as a support device for people on the ground.
"So it can have two way communication with people, it can actually act as part of the interdiction or apprehension process, it’s an excellent search and rescue vehicle," Chell said.
He also says later in the fall they will be inviting other border agencies and sheriff's departments to see the results of the program.
