The Starkville Police Department thanked Granite Defense Technologies for remotely flying a drone mission from Texas to aid a recent investigation, the department said on Facebook.
The department said officers reached out during the weekend, well outside normal business hours, and that company staff were with family when they answered the call and launched the mission from hundreds of miles away.
The department said the remote drone operation directly helped officers on the ground and allowed the investigation to move forward. The department added that while the technology was impressive, the company’s commitment stood out.
Granite Defense Technologies was identified by the department as the remote operator. Law enforcement agencies increasingly rely on aerial drones and private-sector partners for situational awareness and evidence gathering in investigations, officials and industry observers say.
The Starkville Police Department posted its thanks on Facebook. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
