What drone fits you the best?
- Nate
- May 8, 2017
- 3 min read
It seems like it would be simple to just go to Best Buy and pick up a DJI Phantom or a Yuneec Typhoon and just charge the batteries and go fly. Sure you can do this but then you put it on the rig and wait for the call to fly. Or you pull it out and go practice with it. You could go this route and then end up realizing you need this or that to accomplish the mission. Let’s look in to some question you should consider before you buy a drone for your public safety department.
What is the primary mission of your drone? Are you a police officer that does traffic accident investigation? Would a small foldable drone like the DJI Mavic Pro work? You can be set up with one for about $1500. Do you fly HazMat, fire scenes, or pursue suspects fleeing from a scene and need a Thermal Imaging camera? The Inspire 1 could be the better option for this. Is your department on the beach and need to be able to drop a life vest out to a struggling swimmer? Maybe the DJI M600 is the route to go since it has a much higher payload than the smaller drones. Or maybe you are Search and Rescue and you need a dual mount camera to switch back and forth with a color camera and a thermal camera. Then the DJI M200 series could be the best option for you. There is an option for every department and just about every need.
Next question that doesn’t affect a lot of departments but could be location. Are you a mountain town way up in the Rockies and need a better option for fuel source since the higher the altitude the harder the batteries have to work to stay afloat reducing the flight time. Generally at higher altitudes temperature comes in to play also so that can reduce the effectiveness of your batteries. Maybe the HYDrone 1550 from MMC could be the better option for you. It’s a hydrogen powered drone that has an extended flight time and produces water vapor as exhaust.
Next item you want to consider is budget. How much is your department willing to spend to get this asset in the air providing invaluable information for the incident commander? Next budget question is ongoing cost for batteries, training, insurance, upgrades, and replacement. These are all costs that should be accounted for before you start implementing a drone in to you department.
After you have established your budget you need to consider where your department is with its drone program. I mean, yes you are more than welcome to go out and buy a 350K drone that can fly for 6 hours and carry 4 cameras and have multiple operators. But if your team is new to flying drones; would that be the best idea to put that much money in to a system when your pilots are still learning? Or would it be a better use of money to use a mid-level professional drone like the DJI Inspire 1.
Next thing to consider is the accessories you need. How many batteries will you need? If you think you can get away with have 2 batteries and just charge them realize that its takes ~45min- 60min to charge a battery. If you only have 20 mins of flight time then you are hosed while the next battery charges. If you have a specific question about the amount you need send us an email and we can help you figure out the right amount.
Another part to consider is what is the weather like where you are? Does it snow and get to subzero temperatures regularly during the winter? You may need a battery heater and or insulation pads. Because Li-Po batteries do not like cold weather.
How about tablets or phone so you have the live view of your camera? This is needed for lots of different drones. Some do not but most need something. If you have a second controller for the camera on your drone you might need an HDMI cable to plug into the command van TV so the IC has that view to help him or her make those tactical calls.
Yes, if you have not noticed I am partial to DJI because their equipment works and it’s the equipment that I sell. There are many options on the market and it’s up to you to do the research and find what’s right for you. We are here to help and assist with getting you in the air.
Give us a call, email, or text. We are happy to help and give you many different options. Don't forget drink whisky, shoot guns, fly drones (but not at the same time), and freedom on.
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