A new unmanned, ruggedized flying drone designed for SWAT teams can break glass, flip over after it crashes and allow communications with suspects two-way over an encrypted wireless link.
Built in conjunction with the Las Vegas Metro SWAT team, the LEMUR from BRINC Drones features a lithium-ion battery that provides 31 minutes of flight time, with up to 10 hours of standby time. It is being distributed by Drone Nerds starting Tuesday and sells for as much as $10,000 when equipped with a full range of features.
Multiple orders for the LEMUR have been made by various SWAT teams, including the U.S. Marshals Service, said Joe Kearns, BRINC project manager for Drone Nerds, in an interview with Fierce Electronics.
The capability to break glass is a unique feature for drones in the market, Kearns said. He described the glass-breaking capability which he tested personally: “I was able to fly up to a vehicle, break the window and then fly inside for a full inspection with a high-resolution camera.”
The glass-breaking tool operates similar to a 5-inch circular saw with tungsten teeth that spins at 30,000 RPM relying on a motor similar to the drone’s rotor motors. When the drone approaches a pane of glass, the tool spins and strikes the glass at the same time to shatter it, Kearns said.
There is also a self-righting feature so when the drone hits an object and falls to the ground, the operator can flip a switch to reverse two of the four rotors to lift it up and over. Then the operator reverses the switch to have all four rotors fly normally.
LEMUR requires a 45-minute charge time to support all its functions including a maximum advertised speed of 50 mph. It weighs 2.4 pounds and can carry payloads underneath. It is also waterproof and features a carbon fiber frame.
One potential payload is bomb-disposal robot that can be used to remove an explosive ordnance from a building or other location. Because such robots climb stairs very slowly on treads, the LEMUR is designed to carry the robot quickly upstairs or downstairs to find a potential bomb and then detach the robot for ordnance removal while the drone flies off, Kearns said.
LEMUR is designed to be flown with first-person view that operates with a high-def 1080p color camera, built-in night vision and infrared illuminators for indoor settings. There is also a lidar sensor onboard. Operators can wear vision goggles to view what the drone is seeing or view its activities from an iPad-like screen.
The drone can also perch on small legs with its rotors turned off to reduce noise to communicate via a speaker with a suspect or other person, Kearns said. Microphones aboard the craft allow voice communication with suspects over an encrypted low-latency cellular link. With cellular communications, a hostage negotiator can engage in a conversation with a suspect from a remote location.
With its many features, the LEMUR “is by far the most creative design I’ve seen,” Kearns said.
“We have searched for a UAV solution to enable SWAT teams to respond more quickly, more effectively, without risk of life,” said Drone Nerds CEO Jeremy Schneiderman in a statement. “This is finally the solution we have been looking for. Lemur is the first drone that can quite literally save and protect lives. “
BRINC Drones founder and CEO Blake Resnick described the LEMUR feature set as unique in the market for drones used in public safety. Because of Drone Nerds’ reputation for distribution with public safety departments, LEMUR is likely to be seen by more SWAT teams, he predicted.
LEMUR got its name from the animal of that same name because of its ability to move quickly and with agility. It is marketed to protect lives when SWAT teams conduct high-risk searches, no-knock warrants and barricade situations.
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