Manitoba RCMP adopts mini-helicopters to get a bird’s-eye view

WINNIPEG – Manitoba RCMP have joined the list of police forces using tiny, remote-controlled helicopters equipped with cameras.

The one-metre-long devices give the Mounties a bird’s-eye view of accident and crime scenes.

The helicopters carry cameras that take high-definition videos and photographs and stream them live to officers on the ground.

Corporal Byron Charbonneau says the devices can help investigators reconstruct crash or crime scenes by adding a view from above.

Charbonneau says RCMP policy prevents the cameras from being used for crowd surveillance, and they wouldn’t be much good anyway because they only have power for about 13 minutes of flight time.

Similar helicopters are already being used by the Ontario Provincial Police, some municipal police forces and RCMP in a few other provinces.