unmanned aircraft. We also consider using UASs to
unfolds slowly, it would entail purchasing a large
perform functions outside the ASD mission, including
number of FAA-approved unmanned aircraft and
deployment by special units, patrol vehicles, or
deploying them from strategic points around the City
police stations. In this report, we address the major
of Los Angeles. Complete regime change of airborne
advantages and disadvantages of UASs compared
operations would also incur additional training and
to helicopters, other UAS mission applications,
administrative costs.
parameters of UAS flight under current FAA regulations, relative costs of manned and unmanned
A practical model of deployment might be to distribute
aircraft operation. We also consider possible
a few UASs to each of the city’s 21 police stations, and
organizational arrangements for UAS deployment,
use the aircraft to provide localized aerial surveillance
timing of UAS adoption, and public acceptance of
for each patrol area. The number of UASs given to each
unmanned aircraft used by local law enforcement.
station could depend on the types of crimes committed in the district, the population density of the area, and/
Pa r t i a l Re p l a c e m e n t at t h e Ma r g i n One strategy for partially replacing helicopter operations with unmanned aircraft is to operate
or the size of the patrol sector. Given the flight range and speed of most unmanned aircraft, between 20-40 UASs would be needed to match the response time of ASD’s helicopters.
A SD M i s s i o n Profile
UASs for two to three hours a day in order to decrease helicopter flight time, while also acquiring
ASD flies fourteen American Eurocopter AS350B2
practical knowledge of UASs. Unmanned aircraft
A-Stars, five Bell 206B Jet Rangers, and one
could either be deployed in high-crime areas for a
fixed-wing aircraft. The ASD mission is divided
force multiplying effect, or in low-crime areas where
into Special Flights Section (SFS) and Air Support
helicopter responses are less frequent. UASs could also
to Regular Operations (ASTRO). SFS activities
be used to replace helicopter patrol shifts partially
generally include highly sensitive internal and
during low-crime hours, to replace the third helicopter
external investigations that require advanced imaging
during high-crime hours, or to fly during the early
technology, with which only two helicopters are
morning hours when ASD helicopters do not fly at all
outfitted (Smith 2011). Due to the lower percentage
(Smith 2011).
of SFS operations and current regulatory constraints addressed later in this report, we focus primarily on
Complete Re p l a c e m e n t
using unmanned aircraft for the ASTRO mission. ASTRO is characterized by helicopters responding to a variety of radio calls during general patrol, and comprises roughly 80% of ASD’s total flight time
Another potential strategy is to completely replace
(Smith 2011). During ASTRO operations, helicopters
ASD’s current operations with unmanned systems.
perform a number of functions, most of which include
Whether this initiative takes place immediately or
providing aerial assistance to ground units, surveying
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