Draganflyer X6 R/C UAV approved by FAA for use by Mesa County Sheriff’s under Certificate of Authority (COA)

The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office has been working with Draganfly Innovations in order to test the Draganflyer X6 for various policing operations. The Grand Junction Free Press has published an article describing the use of the Draganflyer X6 by the Mesa County Sheriffs Office.

The Draganflyer X6 is currently classified in the same category as a reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle. This is the same classification that is used for the unmanned aerial vehicles used by the military in places such as Afghanistan and Iraq. In order for the Mesa County Sheriffs office to fly the Draganflyer X6 they had to go through a complicated permitting process with stiff requirements from the FAA. Most of the requirements for the FAA are in areas of safety, and the Draganflyer X6 has met these requirements. It is hoped that by gathering data by using the Draganflyer X6 in police operations the FAA will change the classification of the Draganflyer X6

An advantage of the Draganflyer X6 is the relatively low cost when compared to air operations using a full sized manned helicopter or fixed wing aircraft. The Mesa Countys Sheriff office has been involved in more than 60 search and rescue operations this year. The Draganflyer X6 could of been deployed at a number of these cases providing a substantial cost savings for the Mesa County Sheriffs office.