The Miami-Dade (FL) PD has purchased a T-Hawk drone from the military contractor, Honeywell, and is now awaiting FAA approval to operate it in domestic airspaces. The T-Hawk is a camera-equipped, unmanned aerial vehicle originally developed by Honeywell as a surveillance drone to be used in anti-terror campaigns. It weighs 17 pounds and can fly at an altitude of 10,000 feet for more than 40 minutes, according to Honeywell.
The T-Hawk has been used by the British Ministry of Defense in Afghanistan to scout out particularly threatening bits of terrain. But, if the FAA gives it the green light, its duties in Miami will likely be quite different—aiding SWAT teams and search and rescue operations. It’s value is under consideration for fire service use in large area size up, haz-mat and wildland operations. The future is NOW!
