Cranberry Township to vote on UAV for police
CRANBERRY — Supervisors will consider buying an unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV, during their Feb. 1 meeting.
Supervisors voted unanimously to consider approving the purchase order of a UAV on Thursday, Jan. 25, during their monthly agenda preparation meeting.
“(The UAV) will be a very useful tool for the five FAA licensed pilots within the department,” police chief Kevin Meyer said.
The UAV would be used for traffic reconstruction, accident reconstruction, and search and rescue missions, according to Meyer.
“It’s going to have thermal imaging technology,” Meyer said. “It’s going to have 3D video capabilities on it as well.”
He said the police department plans to use $2,000 from a Walmart community grant to help with the funding of the aircraft.
The police department is requesting $26,785.24 for the purchase of the aircraft.
If the purchase order is approved, Meyer said he plans to have the UAV operational within the next month and plans to provide a demonstration to the board.
The supervisors voted unanimously to put off a public hearing regarding the installation of two billboards along the Route 229 Corridor between the I-79 ramp and Route 19.
The public hearing will be held Feb. 29 at the township municipal center at 6:30 p.m.