Woodbury City Council Adds Drone To Public Safety Team

WOODBURY, MN— Woodbury's City Council approved the purchase of a drone at their Jan. 27 meeting and has since begun implementing it into the Woodbury Public Safety Department, the city's Mayor, Anne Burt, said.

The drone will be used as an emergency responder for the Woodbury Public Safety Department, Burt said.

Burt said the drone is a "cost-effective way to manage emergency response".

The drone cost the city $39,000, and two officers have been certified as pilots, meaning no additional people were hired, Burt said.

Burt said that benefits of using drones in public safety include using them in search and rescue situations, and using them to capture footage of natural disasters, fires, and crime scenes.

Other city departments will be able to use the drone for infrastructure inspections, Burt said.

The Woodbury Public Safety Department will not use the drone to conduct random city patrols-it will follow state laws and Federal Aviation Administration rules, Burt said.

One drone operator could replace several people searching for something or someone on the ground, Burt said.

Woodbury's drone allows 55 minutes of flight time on a single charge, and can handle more weight than hobby-drones, which means high-tech cameras with thermal imaging could be attached, Burt said.

The City of Woodbury received feedback regarding the drone purchase in December and is reviewing the feedback to see if any changes need to be made, Burt said.

"We are always looking for means to enhance the safety of our residents as well as our staff," Burt said. "The addition of the new UAS emergency responder is an excellent example of this effort. I am confident its deployment will help us more efficiently protect our community."

You can read the full news release here.