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The Medicine Hat Police Service is testing drones flown by remote pilots from police headquarters to help respond to calls for service.
The three-day pilot program is being run with Skydio, a drone technology company, ending Aug. 14.
During the test, a drone is launched from the police station to support emergency and operational calls, MHPS said. The service said it will gather deployment data, response footage, performance numbers and lessons learned. The result of the pilot is expected to guide decisions about a possible expanded program down the road.
MHPS says the goal is to learn whether the drones can improve community and officer safety. Police say the technology can provide fast, current information so officers receive a clearer picture before they respond to a scene.
The service said community safety privacy and responsible use are central to the pilot. It said drone flights will follow all laws, regulations and MHPS policies, and that any information collected will be handled under privacy law and its own policies. MHPS said the drone will be used only to support public safety operations.
The Medicine Hat Police Service has flown drones since 2020, according to the service.
Other Alberta agencies are also testing drones on calls. In June, the Red Deer RCMP launched what is called Canada’s first Drone as First Responder program, sending drones to some calls before officers arrive. Similar programs are already used by police in neighbouring countries, including a number of departments in the U.S.
MHPS said it will review the findings after the pilot wraps up and decide whether remotely operated drones could support future police work.
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