News reports from across the US and around the world point to an increase in the use of drones and related systems in public safety and law enforcement. In large cities and small towns alike, uncrewed systems are being put to work in countless ways that make citizens safer and supply more and better tools for law enforcement officials.

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Scott Howe is the Editorial Analyst for Commercial UAV News. He is a writer and editor with more than 35 years of experience working in fields such as higher education, healthcare, finance, and insurance. A native of Massachusetts, he currently lives in Portland, Maine.

However, while many inside and outside of law enforcement are eager to integrate uncrewed technology in policing, others have expressed concern that the vehicles may compromise privacy and civil liberties. For example, a recent report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) stated police “programs are beginning to proliferate with little oversight or accountability.” The group went on to say, “It’s important that we don’t sleepwalk into a world of widespread aerial surveillance, that communities think very carefully about whether they want drone surveillance, and, if they decide to permit some operations, put in place guardrails that will prevent those operations from expanding.”

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An article in Simple Flying explained that drones “have become a valuable asset for police departments, allowing them to perform tasks at a lower cost.” The piece reports that police departments in the US, along with law enforcement organizations in the UK, Germany, and South Korea, are using drones equipped with cameras and sensor to perform a range of tasks, including surveillance and investigations, at “a fraction of the cost per flight hour” than conventional methods.