The Western Australia Police Force has selected geo-data service and drone technology provider, RocketDNA, to deliver drone-in-a-box systems for the development of the Drone as First Responder (DFR) program.

The announcement follows a public tender process after WA Police began piloting drone-in-a-box technology as an innovative method to improve the safety and intelligence gathering of emergency responders back in August.

Leveraging the capabilities of RocketDNA, several drone-in-a-box systems will be deployed across the state to take on several law enforcement tasks, including emergency response, surveillance, and search and rescue operations.

“This is yet another example of the Western Australia Police Force leading the nation in adopting modern technology to enhance emergency response capability and make WA safer for everyone,” WA Police Minister, Paul Papalia, said.

“Drone in a Box technology could mean WA Police have eyes on an incident before responding officers arrive.

“Having a bird’s-eye view of a situation in real-time could give police important intel they otherwise wouldn’t have had, allowing officers to make informed decisions on the ground.”

As part of the initial drone-in-a-box trial conducted in the WA suburb of Yanchep, 80 flights had been completed including several simulated public safety tests such as missing person searches and the tracking of wanted vehicles.

“We are honoured to be selected by the Western Australian Police Force to support their DFR program,” RocketDNA Managing Director, Christopher Clark, said.

“This opportunity opens an entire new vertical for the Company, incorporating our BVLOS and Remote Operations experience, to assist the WA Police in responding quickly and effectively to a wide range of law enforcement tasks across the state, reinforcing public safety initiatives, improving emergency responses times and assisting in better allocation of resources within WAPOL.”

The drones’ technology and ability to withstand various weather conditions will be tested across the initial three-year period awarded as part of the tender.

“Every second counts in an emergency, so I’m excited to see if Drone in a Box technology can better protect my troops and potentially help them to make life-saving decisions faster,” WA Police Commissioner, Col Blanch, said.

“WA Police Officers face dangerous situations everyday so if I as Commissioner can use innovative technology like this to keep them safe, it’s something I’m eager to investigate.

“This technology also allows us to securely live stream footage to other agencies such as DFES or St John WA during large scale emergency situations.”