Mission Critical: Drone Support Vehicle Helps Public Safety Teams

The Mobile Drone Command Center, a Draxxon DX-1000

Over the summer, Norfolk County Sheriff Patrick McDermott announced that the Norfolk County Sheriff's Office (NCSO) has added a critical tool to aid in public safety efforts in the county with the first-of-its-kind Mobile Drone Command Center in the region. The Mobile Drone Command Center will be used to assist law enforcement in missing person searches, hostage events, event monitoring, and other public safety issues. The vehicle was purchased through Joint Task Force seizure funds.

“We are consistently investing in new technologies to enhance how we provide public safety throughout Norfolk County. Drones provide law enforcement with a strategic approach in surveying potentially dangerous and life-threatening situations without putting officers, victims, and bystanders in additional danger,” said Sheriff McDermott. “Our investment in this new Mobile Drone Command Center, a first in the region, will help keep the people of Norfolk County safer while providing assistance to our first responders and providing efficient and effective service to our residents.”

The Mobile Drone Command Center, a Draxxon DX-1000, provides for state-of-the-art drone operation. The Center includes two internal flight stations that can operate different systems simultaneously or separately, an in-vehicle monitor TV capable of being viewed in direct daylight, and an external proprietary antenna that allows operators to increase the flight distance of the drones. The van technology is powered by an ecofriendly inverter which eliminates the need for a gas generator.

As part of the Metro-LEC (Law Enforcement Council), a partnership of area law enforcement agencies, the Mobile Drone Command Center will be deployed to most Metro-LEC calls, from search and rescues and high risk warrants to community events. Since 2021, Metro-LEC, and the NCSO’s drone technology, has been deployed at over 175 incidents and venues.

The NCSO’s Mobile Drone Command Center was purchased through an Equitable Sharing Program with other law enforcement agencies. The fund, which is not part of the operations appropriation for the Sheriff’s office, is comprised of a share of monetary assets from joint task force operations with federal agencies, including the DEA and FBI. As part of joint task force operations, the NCSO works with these agencies on various cases and receives an equitable share of monetary assets confiscated in these cases. These funds can be used for law enforcement equipment, training, and related expense