Drone training provided for police and fire crews

The second in a series of courses to train drone operators from regional emergency teams about protecting the public from illicit use of the technology and utilizing it in new ways in their work will take place next month at Warren County Community College’s prestigious drone training program, WarrenUAS.

First responders from various police departments and fire departments in New Jersey and Pennsylvania already participated in a one-day training in July covering the use of drones as a tactical asset, the situational awareness needed with the growing technology and the need for different types and levels of operational safety with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

The training was presented by Tracer Drone Technologies from Phillipsburg, a leading supplier of UAS hardware. The instructor was Carl Makins, an expert in explosives, law enforcement and robotics and the owner of Shadow Tech LLC.

“Technology to aid law enforcement and first responders is expanding every day,” said Peter Miller, chief pilot at WarrenUAS. “However, personnel must be well trained to deploy these new technologies in a manner that is both effective and safe for both officers and the public. We are honored to be able to utilize our facility and resources to help our local emergency service professionals accomplish their mission.”

Tony Downs, EVP UxS Solutions at Tracer Drones, said he was gratified that WarrenUAS offered a platform for this critical training

“The importance of training is key to the success of first responder drone programs. I am proud to partner with Warren UAS and Shadowtech to offer these services”

Makins noted that the participants in the course, all of whom are familiar with the operation of drones, were instructed about:

·core drone safety and operational procedures

·lead tactical drone missions in dynamic environments

·direct and integrated pilot, VO, sensor operator, and safety roles

·application of ISR principles to real-time operations

·effective communications with command and ground teamsEvaluation of mentor drone operators

“Too often the public thinks of drones as a toy, but they are a valuable tool for first responders — whether it's evaluating a fire or crime scene without risking a life or countering the use of a drone for threatening or illegal activity or tracking down a child or an old person in a search-and-rescue, they are a critical new technology,” Makins said.

He said most police and fire departments either have drones or are exploring the acquisition of them, but the operators need a wide range of training, and the departments need a better understanding of how they can be used — and some guidance about the policies and procedures that should guide their application.

Makins is a former explosive ordinance disposal technician and has extensive experience in law enforcement and in the use of multiple UAS platforms He is a certified SWAT operator, clandestine laboratory technical and firearms and canine instructor. A graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School with a master’s degree in Homeland Security, and a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice.

Tracer Drone Technologies is a full-service UAV company partnering with leading technology firms to provide the latest UAV equipment has to offer from advanced enterprise solutions, software, support, and training. It is also developing the technology and operations for drone delivery services.

Miller said the course consisted of both classroom lecture and practical live-flight exercises conducted indoors with FPV drones owned by the participating departments in order to enhance their skills with the aircraft they utilize in the field.

Participating agencies included Palmer, PA Fire Dept and Police Dept.
Bushkill Twp. PA Police Dept, Newton, NJ Police Dept and Easton, PA Water Rescue team

Participants first performed manual flight through an obstacle course to assess individual pilot skill level, then were broken into teams and rotated through several skills stations.

The stations included pre-flight aircraft checklist practice, manual skill development though the obstacle course, and two different staged rooms that teams had to search and clear. Other tactical exercises were also provided for the students to increase their knowledge and hone their skills.

Participants felt this was an important opportunity for departments to increase their practical skills under the supervision of a seasoned Bomb Tech/Scuba Diver/SWAT UAS operator. Several noted that it is difficult to find advanced training on such a specialized skill set as this.

The next course will be held Nov. 21, at WarrenUAS and continue where the first course ended.

“However, this course is structured to be a team leader’s course,” Miller? said, “This intensive executive course will deliver critical skills for experienced drone operators to lead, instruct, and evaluate tactical drone missions in a compressed timeframe. The focus is on decision-making, communication, and scenario execution, not basic flight training.”

WarrenUAS draws students from around northern New Jersey as well as the greater Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania and law enforcement from throughout the United States.
Now seven years old, the program has gained a reputation as one of the leading academic programs for training in unmanned systems, having several rare certifications from the Federal Aviation Administration and offering state-of-the-art training in drone flight, development, and maintenance.

Its students are finding high-paying positions in the wide range of sectors where drones are being deployed, including law enforcement and other emergency services, search and rescue, utility and transportation asset management and protection, delivery services, and agriculture, which has become one of WarrenUAS's specialties.

The program, which began with a handful of students and a dozen drone systems, has expanded to more than 80 students being trained in all aspects of uncrewed flight operations, maintenance and safety management. They’ll have access to approximately 90 drone systems worth more than $5 million and gain experience and classroom training through two new fully equipped facilities for the program led by some of the top experts in the field.