Fairfax County
The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) has used drones since 2019, but the program is expanding to support the helicopter program. Eventually, it may mean quieter skies for residents.
The drone program — formally called the Fairfax County Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) program — started in 2019 and is in use by the Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department, Department of Emergency Management (DEMS), Fairfax County Police Department, and the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office.
"Aerial footage provides many benefits to the FCPD, whether it is to assist with developing public safety situations or to assist crime scene or crash reconstruction detectives with mapping and imaging," according to Fairfax County officials. They also called it an "invaluable tool."
“Our drones work together with our helicopter, serving very different but very important roles. More than once, both the helicopter and drone have been simultaneously deployed to cover critical incidents like the recent Route-1 barricade and Lorton fire in a combined effort,” said FCPD Second Lieutenant Brad Woehrlen, who is on the FCPD Drone Team.
FCPD’s drones are not weaponized, but they are equipped with high-resolution cameras and recording devices. FCPD’s drone pilots must pass the FAA Part 107 sUAS certificate program before being considered for a drone pilot position. Currently, there are 39 officers trained to pilot drones for Fairfax County.
