Hawaii launches first dock-based drone system for emergency response

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The state Department of Law Enforcement is rolling out a new drone system designed to give first responders a faster look at emergency scenes.

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The department’s “Drone as First Responder” program will use dock-based drones to respond to designated calls and provide live aerial information before ground crews arrive.

DLE said the system can automatically take off, land, recharge and offload data, allowing the drones to be used for emergency response, security and infrastructure monitoring.

“When the drone goes out there, first it’s capturing information indicating whether the person has a weapon, what the suspect looks like, the exact location and possible victims on scene,” DLE Director Jared Redulla said.

The first docking station will be installed at the State Tax Department Building on Punchbowl Street.

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Officials said FAA-certified pilots will support deployments and provide real-time aerial information to responding personnel.

DLE has already been using crew-operated drones for operations including fugitive apprehensions, illegal hunting and fireworks enforcement.

The new dock-based system is intended to support more traditional police responses to crimes in progress.

DLE said it plans to work with county police departments and other first responder agencies to expand the program to additional locations statewide.

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