Drone deployed near Anne Arundel County shopping district to quickly assist with active 911 calls

A drone will be deployed near a major shopping district in Anne Arundel County to quickly respond to active 911 calls as part of a holiday safety initiative. 

The deployment, which will begin November 11, is part of the county's Drone as First Responder (DFR) pilot program. The drone will operate from an automated dock located near the intersection of Evergreen Road and Waugh Chapel Way in Odenton, said a statement released by the Anne Arundel Police Department. 

"The system will provide rapid, real-time aerial support across the Waugh Chapel Towne Centre, the Route 3 commercial corridor, and adjacent areas of Gambrills, Odenton, and Crofton," the statement said. 

Drone to help fight shoplifting and vehicle theft

Police officials noted that seasonal increases in vehicular and pedestrian traffic in large commercial areas also bring higher property crimes, shoplifting and vehicle thefts. 

The DFR technology "will be available for active calls for service, giving our officers critical, real-time information to enhance situational awareness and reduce response times," the statement added. 

Police officials said visitors and residents in the area might see the unmanned aircraft launching from, operating around or returning to its docking station near Evergreen Road in the coming weeks. 

The drone is only deployed in response to active 911 calls and will not conduct "continuous random surveillance or proactive neighborhood patrols," according to the statement. 

DFR technology can deploy to locations "within minutes"

DFR aircraft can reach nearby retail centers and traffic corridors within minutes, enabling it to deliver "crucial real-time updates to responding ground units and emergency medical personnel."

In an effort to adhere to privacy requirements, the drone's camera will be oriented toward the horizon and not in the direction of private residential properties, the police department said.  

"Any recorded video follows the department's strict body-worn camera evidentiary and data retention guidelines," the release said. "The AACoPD is committed to operating this pilot program with the highest standards of safety, responsibility, and transparency."