Dedrone Launches Airspace Awareness for Drone as First Responder Programs: Dedrone Beyond

Dedrone Launches Drone as First Responder (DFR) Solution: Dedrone Beyond

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian J. McNabb

Virginia-based Dedrone recently announced the launch of Dedrone Beyond, an all-new platform designed to help state, local, territorial and tribal (SLTT) law enforcement and emergency services conduct BVLOS operations using UAVs as first responders. Powered by their computer-vision-enabled AI, Dedrone Beyond is designed to enhance situational awareness and be interoperable with other systems, including Dronesense’s Axon Air.

“Drones can provide more than just a birds-eye view of a situation; they can arrive at a scene faster than humans and then enable assessment of an emerging incident to provide critical information for law enforcement and first responders to make better decisions before sending in personnel. Today, this potential is hampered by the need to always have human eyes on a drone,” said Aaditya Devarakonda, CEO of Dedrone. “DedroneBeyond unlocks that potential and makes it easier for law enforcement across the country to implement scalable DFR programs. DedroneBeyond is a natural extension for Dedrone, leveraging the company’s deep knowledge and technology foundation for aircraft detection and multi-sensor fusion, to further expand its global leadership in airspace security.”

“Eliminating the need for human visual observers is the key to unlocking the value of DFR and bringing its benefits to a larger number of communities,” said Aydin Ghajar, General Manager of Axon Air. “We’re incredibly excited to add DedroneBeyond to the Axon Air offering and the value it can bring in combination with all the hardware, software, and professional services we offer to agencies to operate a lifesaving drone program successfully.”
To fulfill the collision avoidance requirement to receive a COA (necessary for BVLOS operation) under current FAA guidelines, Dedrone Beyond adds Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS–B) detection to their existing suite of detection and sensor fusion technologies.

Dedrone’s press release included a statement from a law enforcement partner who helped evaluate the new system. “Embracing innovation is at the core of our mission to enhance public safety. Our partnership with Dedrone and Axon Air on the evaluation of the DedroneBeyond solution represents a crucial step towards strengthening our DFR program,” said Michael J. Bouchard, Sheriff, Oakland County, Mich. Sheriff’s Office. “This collaboration opens the door to exploring BVLOS operations, offering the potential to transform the way we respond to emergencies and keep our community safe.”

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Introducing DedroneBeyond: Enabling Drone as First Responder from Dedrone on Vimeo.

More information on Dedrone’s website here.

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Ian McNabb is a staff writer based in Boston, MA. His interests include geopolitics, emerging technologies, environmental sustainability, and Boston College sports.