An article on wavy.com shares:
It weighs less than three pounds but has big capabilities.
“They allow us to operate now essentially 24 hours a day,” said Col. Dennis Bissell. The North Carolina Wing Commander for Civil Air Patrol is talking about the Teal 2 drone that will specifically be used to provide emergency assistance in North Carolina.
“The sensor that these drones carry, powered by FLIR through the Teal 2 drone, really allows us to have military-grade technology at our fingertips to serve the citizens of North Carolina,” said Bissell.
The group is currently training with the drones that will be used to help assist N.C. Emergency Management with everything from missing person searches to disaster recovery and assessments. Bissell said the drones will not only be utilized in North Carolina but also surrounding states.
“These drones really allow us to take that to a whole other level,” said Bissell.
George Matus, founder and CEO of Teal Drones, said, “Teal 2 is the world’s leading military-grade sUAS for night operations and our partnership with NCWG is a great example of how technology developed for military purposes can also be used for civilian purposes helping to keep Americans safe at home.”
The state has utilized similar drone technology to help with things like assessing flooding on Interstates 40 and 95 after Hurricane Florence. The Teal 2 drones will be able to do more as Matus said the drones are optimized for nighttime operations with high-resolution thermal imaging.
“This will be our primary go-to drone for night operations 100 percent of the time,” said Bissell. He added, “As technology evolves, so do we, and we have to be able to take care of our partners and our citizens across the state the best way that we can.”
Brian Haines, a public information officer with N.C. Emergency Management, said the agency purchased 10 of the drones through a Homeland Security grant program.
“We recognize the value of the Civil Air Patrol and what they do for us in terms of helping us out in crisis situations, especially in search and rescue operations.”
Haines said the military-grade drones will enhance their efforts even more.
Soaring to new heights, together.
Be sure to visit the BWU Technology Partnerships Initiative website to learn more about how our NEOFIX program drives economic growth, promotes policy and infrastructure to improve drone safety and efficiency in various industries, and ensures that drone technology is being used responsibly.