ST. CLOUD, Florida — The St. Cloud Police Department want to take its drone program to the next level.
- St. Cloud Police will test out new drone program 'Cape'
- Software used when officers need more insight into a scene
- St. Cloud PD only agency with drones in Osceola Co.
They’re looking into an application which can get their drones to a nearby scene quicker than a car.
The St. Cloud Police Department is trying to step up their game when it comes to security. The agency is testing out a brand new program called ‘Cape.’
“We turn experts into superheroes — they put a cape on,” said Chris Rittler, the CEO of Cape.
The software will be used to search for missing people, in active shooter situations, for fatal car accidents, and to assess the aftermath of a natural disaster.
“It allows us to better formulate a game plan and prepare for what we are getting ready to encounter, (because) a lot of the times we are walking into the unknown, and this at least gives us a bit of insight as to what is going on, on the scene,” said Frankie De La Rosa, a spokesperson for the St. Cloud Police Department.
With Cape, the individual manning the drone doesn't have to be close to the actual drone. Cape gives officers aerial visibility with the ability to pilot the drone from anywhere in the world.
The CEO of Cape said the drone can also act as a first responder, since it has the potential to arrive on scene within a 3-mile radius in about a minute.
“One of the key features is enabling other people to see what the drone pilot could see; so in this case, think of officers back at a watch command center, (who) can actually see the same thing a drone pilot is seeing,” Rittler said. “So they can aid in the decision-making process.”
The St. Cloud Police Department is the only law enforcement agency with drones in Osceola County.