Aviation Technology

Aviation equipment is expensive, but it can save law enforcement agencies—especially rural agencies—time and money. It offers advantages no other technology can and is valuable in time-critical situations such as searching for missing persons or surveying a hostage scene.

NIJ's aviation technology portfolio contains research, evaluation, and development projects designed to find safe and affordable aviation options that cost less than $100,000 or $50 per hour. The portfolio has four goals:

• Evaluate operational aspects of low-cost light sport aircraft.
• Identify low-cost aviation camera systems.
• Develop new aviation technology.
• Develop and evaluate unmanned aircraft systems.

The Aviation Technology Focus Group helps guide and direct NIJ research on affordable aviation assets for law enforcement. The focus group's first meeting was held in May 2007 and identified the following priorities:

• Test and evaluate various aircraft.
• Test and evaluate low-cost unmanned aircraft systems.
• Test and evaluate supporting aviation technologies (e.g., cameras, sensors).
• Develop low-cost aerostat (e.g., hot air balloons, airships, moored balloons).
• Develop new technologies (e.g., green aircraft).
• Train and educate law enforcement on using aviation technology.
• Create best practices and guidelines for using and acquiring aviation technology.
• Create safety guidelines (e.g., for cockpit management, survival equipment).
• Develop guidelines to assist law enforcement with the administrative aspects of an aviation unit (i.e., liability, funding, and budget).