The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina has purchased a new UAS.

The UAS will be used in conjunction with the sheriff's office’s helicopter for various operations such as search and rescue missions, locating the elderly as a part of Project Life Saver, and locating potentially dangerous fleeing suspects.

The sheriff’s office says that UAS offer capabilities that helicopters do not for certain missions. UAS take less time to deploy, and they can also help find subjects that are located in areas where an extended aerial view may be limited.

Due to high cost, the sheriff’s office has never had any thermal imaging capability on its helicopter. Flir is much more affordable on a UAS than it is for a helicopter, the office notes, and this technology will provide added visibility and tracking capabilities that may not be possible to decipher with just the naked eye.

“We are constantly looking for technology to better help us protect and serve our citizens. We continue to be advocates for community oriented policing but we must also take advantage of any technology that increases our efficiency and effectiveness,” says Sheriff Crenshaw.

“This increases the probability of finding missing persons much quicker as well as locating a potentially dangerous suspect that could harm our community.”