BPD to launch traffic homicide investigation drone
Bradenton Police Department and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District One have partnered in the state’s first project designed to expedite traffic crash investigations through the use of aerial, 3D scene mapping.
Traditional mapping and documentation of crashes involving serious bodily injury or fatalities requires photography and measurements, a process that results in lengthy road closures and detours. Now, using a drone equipped with 3D-scanning and mapping technology, Bradenton Police officers trained in traffic reconstruction will be able to capture hundreds of images up close, from multiple angles, and produce a 3D rendering of vehicles, evidence and surrounding structures, with measurements, much more quickly. Doing so will expedite investigations and get roads reopened faster.
The Skydio drone will be used specifically for traffic crash investigations, and will not be deployed for patrol surveillance. The Bradenton Police Department will provide feedback on the use of drones for traffic crash investigation mapping to FDOT (District One), and will also assist other law enforcement agencies as requested.
In the coming weeks, Bradenton Police Department’s traffic homicide investigators will undergo training and testing to receive a Remote Pilot Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration under the FAA’s Small UAS Rule (Part 107). The program is expected to be up and flying this summer.
