Dunwoody Police elevate public safety with rooftop-launched drone technology

DUNWOODY, Ga. - The Dunwoody Police Department is taking public safety to new heights—literally—with the use of a rooftop-launched drone. 

The drone is integrated directly into its 911 dispatch and Real Time Crime Center systems.

What they're saying:

Dubbed the "Flock Drone," the aircraft can be launched within seconds of a 911 call, automatically ascending and heading to the scene before officers even hit the road.

"When Flock 911 grabs the call, we're able to simply push a button and able to deploy that drone to any call," said Sgt. Michael Cheek. "It will launch itself automatically and once it's up in the air at a certain height you can then take control of it and fly it to the GPS coordinates."

Dunwoody police say they are the only agency in Georgia currently using the technology in this way.

"We at the Dunwoody Police Department are the only agency in the state that has these drones in use and being used and deployed," said Cheek.

Local perspective:

The drone is stationed on the roof of the Dunwoody Police Department and gives officers a bird’s-eye view of active scenes. That aerial vantage point, according to police, improves response time and officer safety by helping assess threats, identify suspects, and determine if additional units are needed.

"That bird’s eye view allows us to see if we need additional resources," Cheek said.

The department says the drone recently played a key role in apprehending a man wanted out of another jurisdiction. After Flock license plate readers flagged the suspect’s car inside city limits, officers launched the drone to locate him from above.

"Once they realized he didn't have a firearm on him, just a cellphone, they walked right up on him," said Cheek.

From above, officers are able to make more informed decisions about how to approach a scene and whether to escalate their response.

"It's been extremely valuable," Cheek added.

Dunwoody Police call the drone a "flying first responder" and say it has already proven to be faster, safer, and smarter than traditional response methods.