Unmanned Aerial Systems Project (Details)

Name of province/ territory:

Saskatchewan

City/ Region:

Province-wide

Description of Initiative:

In December of 2010, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) 'F' Division entered into a pilot project to determine the feasibility of using unmanned aerial vehicles to obtain high-quality digital photographs for major crime scenes, collision scenes, search and rescue operations, emergency response team operations and CBRNE. The project lasted for a period of one year and we used a variety of different units to test their capabilities, durability, etc. It became very apparent very quickly that the range of uses for the unmanned aerial vehicles was huge and we immediately expanded the test program to include other business lines such as major crime, search and rescue, and the Emergency Response Team (ERT). What we found was that Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are an effective and cost-efficient way of getting very good photographs for evidentiary purposes and for officer safety situations. At the conclusion of the pilot project, 'F' Division purchased additional units to bolster our program and we now have a budget in place and are leading the country in this technology. Below are the benefits to each business line that we serve.

Collision reconstruction:

• Gives us the ability to get real-time, high-quality digital photographs of collision scenes when the vehicles and debris are still at the scene. By capturing this data we have been able to open the highway sooner.
• Aerial photographs give the investigator a "bird’s eye view" that we only had before with the assistance of the fire department ladder trucks or from a manned aircraft (something that is not available immediately).
• Aerial photographs provide very good evidentiary material for court. The investigator may be able to articulate his/her evidence in one or two photographs as opposed to 20 or 30 that we took before.
• Aerial photographs provide a different perspective from the air and may show evidence that the investigator can’t see from the ground.
• We have been able to integrate our photographs into our drawing software programs, which then allows us to use the real photograph as the layer on the drawing as opposed to using Google Earth (which is hard because we don't know when the photo was taken).

• Aerial photography has been very helpful to this unit as we are able to capture real-time data for the investigators immediately.
• We have been able to integrate our photographs into the surveys that are completed by our collision reconstructionists.
• We are now exploring new technology that can be attached to the helicopters to hopefully assist with the discovery of recently disturbed ground (shallow graves) or the discovery of buried metal objects. Attaching this technology to the helicopter is a huge cost savings and it is a very important piece of technology that is currently not being used.

• The UAS has been used now on quite a few files dealing with search and rescue. Usually in these cases, time is of paramount importance. We are able to have the UAS operational in a few hours usually anywhere in the province.
• We have FLIR technology attached to the helicopter, which is thermal imagery. This is very helpful because if the person is unconscious they may give off a heat signature which, from the air, is very easy to recognize.
• Manned aircraft are also used in search and rescue operations; however, there are times when the terrain and area make it difficult to search. Using the UAS is very effective for this. We can usually fly pretty much anywhere and can search areas that may be dangerous for members to search (e.g., canyons, cliffs, fast-flowing water).

• The UAS has only been used a few times in this situation but has been very effective when it has been used.
• The UAS gives the commanders that ability to get real-time photographs of an area to assist with officer safety. The ability to get these photographs is crucial as decisions for entry/action can be made while the helicopter is flying.
• We have the technology now to have a real-time video feed from the helicopter to a base station in the command centre, which is also very helpful.

Initiative Key Objectives:

To be able to provide different business lines with high-quality digital photographs without the cost of hiring a full-sized helicopter. The objective is to use the helicopters for the following situations:

• crash scene investigations
• major crime scenes
• search and rescue operations
• emergency response team situations
• major chemical or biological situations
• other emergency situations

Section Responsible for Implementation:

'F' Division Forensic Collision Reconstruction Program—Sgt Dave Domoney

Key Contact:

David Domoney
david.domoney@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

Groups/ Agencies/ Key Partners Involved:

• private agencies/corporations
• other government departments/agencies
• other: RCMP, Dragonfly Innovations, Chaos Choppers

Level of Involvement (consultative - information sharing) and/or cooperative - direct involvement):

This project would be both consultative and cooperative. Consultative because this was a pilot project to begin with so we had a lot of information sharing with other police departments, RCMP Ottawa and Transport Canada. Once the pilot project was finished we moved into a cooperative involvement in that we were directly involved with flying the helicopters and providing service to other business lines.

Amount of Time Initiative has been in Place:

Since December of 2010 (pilot for one year, then operational).

Reason for Undertaking the Initiative:

We have always been looking for new ways of gathering photographs from the air. In the past it was too expensive to hire an airplane for each file that we investigated. Members placed cameras on poles or climbed to the top of a ladder fire truck to get these photographs. This new technology is an economical way of obtaining this data at various altitudes and under various weather conditions.

Resources Required to Implement this Initiative:

Most of the costs were for the equipment required to start the project. There were one-time capital costs for the helicopter, camera, laptop and batteries, and costs for training on the use of the equipment. A significant number of administration hours were incurred to develop policy and to apply for the required regulatory documents to be able to fly. Most of this was completed after hours on a voluntary basis.

As for the start-up cost, it depends on which kind of system one is intending to use. The UAS can range from $15,000 to $150,000. A police agency can get going with a complete system for approximately $18,000 to $20,000.

Method of Implementation:

In December 2010, this project was introduced as a pilot project for a period of one year. During this time we started the program with one helicopter and one pilot. We flew approximately 36 times that year and we quickly realized the potential of the program.

In January 2012 we finished the pilot project and made recommendations to other divisions with regard to the operation and purchase of UAS in Canada. To date there are a total of 15 helicopters across Canada (Saskatchewan has nine of those 15). We have also trained four additional pilots to enable us to have adequate coverage of the province at any given time. By the end of 2013, there will be approximately 40 UAS in operation with the RCMP in Canada.

Key Outcomes of the Initiative:

The goal of this initiative is to be able to provide different business lines with high-quality digital photographs in an efficient and cost-effective way. To be able to provide the courts with the best possible evidence in courtroom proceedings.

The benefits were immediately noticed. We didn't require the entire year to see what this technology could do for us. Once we were done for the year, we could see what the collective value was from each of the business lines; but in each case we saw an immediate benefit.

Availability of a Communication Strategy:

Yes

Key Messages used to Publicize the Initiative:

Personally, I have been interviewed by almost every paper in the Regina and Saskatoon area. I have been on most of the major TV stations showing what the helicopter will do. I have been on several radio shows, including Sheila Coles' CBC morning show, BBC and several French news stations in Quebec. I was contacted by another TV show that wants to make a documentary film about the use of UAS.

The key message is that we are using this technology to get good-quality photographs in certain situations and not to use this tool to spy on people.

Forms of Evaluation by which the Initiative will be Assessed:

• internal
• quantitative
• mostly in-house evaluation

Evaluation Completed or Community Feedback Received:

Yes

Summary of the Outcomes:

A formal evalaution has not been conducted, however positive feedback has been received. We have been able to provide good service to our clients both internally and externally. Everywhere we go people are amazed at the use of this technology. We have used this tool several times for search and rescue files and the response from the community has been very good.

Summary of the Performance Measure Data Collected:

N/A

Economics of Policing Pillars:

• Efficiencies within Police Services
• New Models of Community Safety
• Efficiencies within the Justice System

Further Details:

This initiative fits into all three of these categories. UAS is a cost-effective way of obtaining good-quality aerial photographs. The uses can range from motor vehicle collisions to emergency situations. The use of the helicopter can give us a huge tactical advantage in emergency situations where we may not have to put another police officer in danger. The use of UAS is new to the policing world and the technology gets better day by day. We are continually trying to develop new initiatives to make the project better while keeping in mind our fiscal responsibility.

Additional Comments or Suggestions:

”I have found this initiative to be the most effective tool that I have been given in my 23 years of service with the RCMP. The fact that this system can assist so many different business lines is absolutely phenomenal. As an organization we need to continue to fund this project because of the product we can deliver to so many people at a reduced cost. We also need to keep updated on the technological advancements that are being implemented every day. The use of UAS will be an efficient and cost-effective way of obtaining professionnal photographs for years to come.”

Sgt David Domoney
Program Manager 'F' Division
Forensic Collision Reconstruction Program

Record Entry Date:

2013-08-01