Macomb County Sheriff's Office Adds Drone Aerial Vehicle Unit

MOUNT CLEMENS (AP) — The Macomb County sheriff's office has launched a new unmanned aerial vehicle unit consisting of four drones.

Officials say the drones are able to search for missing persons and be used in rescues, barricaded gunmen and hostage situations, and in traffic crash and crime scene investigations.

They are equipped with high-resolution cameras that can capture both aerial photos and video. One unit has a thermal imaging camera which can be used to search for someone in a wooded area or water.

The $26,000 cost of the four drones was paid from police forfeiture funds.

Two sheriff's deputies currently have Federal Aviation Administration remote pilot certificates. Fourteen others are scheduled to receive training to operate the drones.

© 2018 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.