Denver high school students learn how to use drones at police conference
Denver students from Abraham Lincoln High School's robotics and JROTC programs got a unique learning experience Tuesday morning when Denver police teamed up with drone manufacturer Skydio for a hands-on technology lesson.
Officers and representatives from Skydio showed students how drones can be used in public safety, from emergency management to police calls for service. They also discussed different career paths in robotics and drone technology.
"It's very different from other drones I've seen. I used to think of them as toys, but now I see them as a tool," one student said.
The event was part of the International Association of Chiefs of Police's annual conference and exposition in Denver.
Skydio makes drones for military, law enforcement agencies, and for security. It has contracts with the U.S., U.K., Israeli, and Spanish militaries. The company boasts contracts with over 800 agencies around the U.S.
Mira Marquez, a representative for the company, spoke about their benefits for law enforcement, search and rescue, and firefighting teams.
She said there's an emerging field with future careers for the development and piloting of drones to help get eyes on emergencies faster than first responders might be able to arrive from the ground or even more traditional aircraft like helicopters.
"When a drone responds to a call for service, it is a live video," she said. "Different agencies have different policies around the nuances of how the video is used and where it's stored; however, the goal of it being live is to give that additional situational awareness for those officers on the scene."
