The Floyd County, Iowa, Emergency Management Agency (EMA) has brought on board a drone dubbed “Storm Trooper 1.”
According to a Facebook post from the agency, the new quadcopter will be operated by four county employees – including the EMA’s director, two deputies from the sheriff’s office and one from the conservation department – who have received Federal Aviation Administration authorization to fly.
The agency notes its team has also completed a three-day training course and has plans to continue training in order to be “well prepared to fly in any emergency situation.”
Specifically, the EMA says the drone will help in situations such as search and rescue, hazardous materials spills, flooding, search warrants (if permitted), and invasive species.
“Storm Trooper 1 was brought on board to increase the time to recovery after any disaster/devastation hits our county,” the agency says. “He will give us a different perspective on situations that we are otherwise unable to see from the ground.”
