The Hudson Police Department added the drone unit (sUAS) to our list of specialized units in 2023, which continues to grow as the use of drones evolves within law enforcement. A small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) utilizes Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) that weigh more than .55 pounds but less than 55 pounds and are operated within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulation (14 CFR) Part 107, FAA Certificate of Authorization(s) and applicable laws specifically governing the use of drones (sUAS). The Hudson Police Department operates the DJI Mavic 3 Thermal drone (sUAS), utilizing FLIR technology cameras used for thermal imaging.
The Hudson Police Department drone unit is comprised of four officers and one unit supervisor who have completed and earned their FAA Part 107 Licenses.
All deployments and requests for use of the department drone must specifically be authorized by the OIC (Officer In Charge) or drone unit commander. The Hudson Police has adopted the use of drones to provide an aerial visual perspective in responding to emergencies and exigent circumstances, and for several scenarios including but not limited to;
- Search & Rescue Efforts
- Locating Fleeing Suspects
- Large Event Security
- Crime Scene/Crash Scene Documentation
- Requested Photography
- Aerial Mapping, 3D Model Creation and Surveying
- Tactical Overview/Search Assistance for CEMLEC SWAT
- Participating in the CEMLEC Regional Drone Team
- Assisting Hudson Fire Department with active fire suppression efforts through thermal imaging using aerial vantage points
- Community Engagement Activities
- Other Requested Emergency Responses
View our Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) Policy.
The Drone Unit Supervisor is Sgt. Jesse Hayden. He can be reached at jhayden@townofhudson.org or (978) 562-7122, ext. 238.