GRAND JUNCTION — In a move that could revolutionize the way search and rescue missions are conducted, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office is performing a series of tests with an unmanned, remote-operated miniature helicopter.
Powered by brushless motors and rotor blades mounted at the end of three arms, the mostly carbon-fiber aircraft weighs in at slightly more than two pounds and maneuvers with ease.
Attach a thermal imaging or infrared camera and the machine, known as Draganflyer X6, becomes a perfect complement to law enforcement personnel on the ground during search and rescue efforts.
The sheriff’s office is the fourth, non-federal law enforcement agency in the country to test the helicopter, which it is leasing “for a very small fee,” Hilkey said.
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