NYPD rolling out fleet of crime-fighting drones

The NYPD announced Tuesday that it is adding a fleet of crime-fighting drones to its ranks, The Post has learned.

The department rolled out 14 unmanned aerial vehicles as part of its latest technology “evolution.”

“As the largest municipal police department in the United States, the NYPD must always be willing to leverage the benefits of new and always-improving technology,” Police Commissioner James O’Neill said in a statement.

“Our new Unmanned Aircraft System program is part of this evolution — it enables our highly trained cops to be even more responsive to the people we serve, and to carry out the NYPD’s critical work in ways that are more effective, efficient, and safe for everyone.”

A department spokeswoman insisted the drones will not be used for everyday police patrol, unlawful surveillance or to enforce traffic laws. The machines will not be used as weapons, nor will they be equipped with any, she said.

Chief of Department Terence Monahan, along with other police department brass, will make the announcement Tuesday morning at Fort Totten in Queens.

Drones will be used for large-scale city events, in hazmat investigations, search-and-rescue operations, as well as hostage situations and for accessing hard-to-reach crime scenes, a department spokeswoman told The Post.

As part of the program, 29 NYPD officers from the Technical Assistance Response Unit have been trained and licensed to use the drones. The number will continue to grow, as only licensed officers are authorized to operate the devices, the spokeswoman said.

Of the 14 aircraft, 11 are DJI Mavic Pro quadcopters — small drones that can quickly be deployed for “tactical operations,” the spokeswoman said.

Two of the drones — DJI M210 RTK quadcopters — will be used for search-and-rescue purposes, among other things. The weather-resistant machines are larger and have thermal imaging and 3D mapping. One additional drone, a DJI Inspire 1 quadcopter, will be used for training officers.

The police department conferred with some of the more than 900 agencies, including police and fire departments, that already use drones.

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