Ontario City Considering Purchasing UAS in 2017
The city of Cornwall, Ontario might see UAS flying around in 2017, if a $17,000 expenditure request to the city’s budget for next year is approved. The expenditure request was submitted by EMS chief Myles Cassidy.
According to Cassidy, the UAS could be used for a variety of reasons.
“They can be used for a number of things,” Cassidy said through the Standard Freeholder. “Public works can use it for inspecting the landfill site.”
Cassidy also said that the UAS could be used for assisting emergency personnel responding to a call, as well as giving the fire department and police an extra set of eyes from the sky.
Cassidy got the idea to use UAS after seeing the positive effects that UAS have had in the town of Renfrew, Ontario, and its paramedicine department. One situation saw the UAS being used for investigating the cause of a flood.
“The drone was able to find there was a landslide in the boonies that had caused to dam up the river,” Cassidy said. “It would have taken hours and hours to get to that part of the county to find out the cause.”
While everything is waiting for approval, if the proposal is approved, Cassidy plans on creating an ad hoc committee that includes other city departments to help determine which UAS would best fit the needs of Cornwall.
