Leaders in west-central Kentucky said a new fleet of 10 drones will help them be prepared for whenever a natural disaster inevitably hits the area.
Daniel London, executive director of the Lincoln Trail Area Development District, said the 2021 Western Kentucky tornado and the 2022 Eastern Kentucky flooding prompted officials to work towards acquiring the new drones. The fleet, which is funded through grant support and a public-private partnership with Lincoln National Bank, will enhance regional emergency response efforts.
London explained they can use the fleet, which consists of nine aerial drones and one underwater drone, for search and rescue missions, recovery operations, and structural damage assessments. He added heat signatures could help them find people trapped, for example.
This effort has gotten praise from state leaders, like Governor Andy Beshear, who hopes this will minimize the impact of tornadoes or flooding on human life.
Local leaders say they can have drones deployed anywhere in the eight counties in west-central Kentucky in less than an hour and a half and they hope this new technology will ease the minds of those moving to an already growing area.
Source: WAVE
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