Search for missing Woodbury man could lead to more drone use

Minnesota Sheriffs' Association officials said the recent use of a drone in the search for a vulnerable man who had disappeared from his Woodbury home is a sign that drone use is going to increase.

Director Jim Franklin told the Pioneer Press that the association is scrambling to put together standardized recommendations for drone use by law enforcement agencies.

The missing man was eventually found by the Minnesota State Patrol, not the drone supplied by Green Remote Aviation. But Woodbury Police spokeswoman Michelle Okada said the department found it to be extremely helpful.

"This was our debut," said Derrick Green, a co-owner of Green Remote Aviation of White Bear Lake Township. "This was our first public safety mission."

Lawmakers who oppose drones have cited privacy concerns in the past, but Franklin said law enforcement has only used drones to search for missing people, not for surveillance or in criminal cases.

"They focus on the implication that law enforcement is spying on people," Franklin said of drone use opponents. However, he said there could be benefits to using drones, for instance a fleeing thief was recently caught in Washington County with the help of a drone.

The Anoka, Hennepin and Washington county sheriff's offices have been granted permission to use drones by federal regulators.

Green said the DJI-branded drone costs about $2,000, while a bigger drone that could be used to bring food or medicine to a stranded person costs $20,000.

"The possibilities are endless," he said.

Officials must file reports explaining why and how a drone was used in each instance.