Law enforcement agencies throughout Florida are feeling the heat after Governor Ron DeSantis forced its police departments to use Made-in-USA drones for surveillance of public spaces. For months, the governor has been promising to outfit the state’s law enforcement with the latest in drone technology, but his plans did not take into account the fact that many of these drones are of lower-quality and produced domestically.
Cops across Florida have been left frustrated by the governor’s decision, citing poor durability, limited capabilities, and overall inferiority when compared to international offerings. Although the Made-in-USA drones do contain better-quality video and audio, the lack of features like obstacle avoidance and night sensors has left police officers in sparsely-populated areas with no option but to leave the patrol to the drones.
Aside from being frustrated with the quality of the drones, police officers also worry about being held accountable in the event of an accident or malfunction. Most of the domestic models don’t include auto-piloting or collision avoidance, leaving cops to worry about crashes in densely populated areas.
Ron DeSantis has maintained that his decision to force police to use Made-in-USA drones is a “patriotic choice” and insists that the high standards which go into producing local drones should not be taken lightly.
However, the frustration among police officers is palpable and many feel that the governor’s decision was made without consulting or even addressing their concerns.
Cops are rightfully angry at Ron DeSantis for forcing Made-in-USA drones upon them, especially in a context such as law enforcement where reliability is of paramount importance. While the governor may have admirable intentions, it appears his decision was made without proper input from those tasked with using the drones on a daily basis.
