Police Hybrid Drone Takes Off

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Manned helicopters cannot operate after sunset, provoking critical delays on a number of emergencies, which sometimes mean more casualties. A new technology will help provide a fast response to emergencies even at night.

The HYBRiX .20 drone, the first hybrid fuel-electric multirotor, will be incorporated into a first responder project. With 10 times more flight time than electric drones, this innovative project had attracted a lot of attention after setting the World Record of Endurance in 2017, with a 4 hr. 40 min. flight  endurance. Recently, the project has been backed by the European Commission to accelerate its market deployment.

Now, the drone’s Spanish developer Quaternium has initiated a collaboration with Benidorm City Hall to start one of the pioneer First-Response drone services worldwide.

HYBRiX.20 is a drone for commercial applications requiring longer flight time and an excellent alternative to manned helicopters for applications like aerial monitoring, fire prevention, search & rescue missions or inspection tasks at a much more affordable cost.

The drone is equipped with an advanced EO/IR camera with 30x zoom on a three-axis gimbal, and a transponder system to coordinate with Air Traffic Control Authorities, as reported by uasweekly.com.

The advantages of batteries and fuel combine to maximize power and efficiency. Thanks to the removable arms, the drone is easy to set up for work, allowing transportation and fast deployment by one person.

The drone features a fast petrol recharging, without need to wait a long time to charge the batteries in order to renew the flight, according to the company website.

The new drone will enable the Spanish Police Aerial Unit to increase the safety and protection of the citizens of Benidorm in areas were it was not possible to provide a fast response before. For example, it will be possible to detect a fire, or even a missing person at night, thanks to the infrared sensor of the camera.

In order to make this possible, the City Hall of Benidorm, through the Council of Citizen Security, has developed a Local Regulation for Police Aerial Operations in the City, in collaboration with the renowned Polytechnic University of Valencia.

This Regulation will provide a framework for the safe implementation of the drone aerial service.