Drones

Hooked up drones for safety Elistair Orion 2

Orion 2 flies over 14,000 fans at Washington Grizzly Stadium

Police in charge of security at a Guns N’Roses concert that drew 14,000 fans used the Elistair Orion 2 tethered drones for security – that’s why clients like the French Defense Agency and CNN Air use tethered drones to host major events secure.

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby

On the evening of August 13, 2021, an Elistair Orion 2 unmanned aerial vehicle was deployed to monitor a Guns N ‘Roses concert at the University of Montana. The drone flew non-stop over the venue for six hours to ensure the safety of the 14,000 visitors.

Police at the University of Montana’s Washington Grizzly Stadium were given access to a consistent aerial view of the stadium and the surrounding area, streamed directly from the Orion’s electro-optical and infrared sensors. The Orion’s dual-sensor payload coupled with its 24-hour flight duration enabled the system to conduct an uninterrupted mission from day to night without the need for a landing.

The drone was used by CloudCover on the roof of a building in the immediate vicinity of the stadium and gave the control center a permanent view of the stadium area including the entry and exit points as well as sales areas, the parking lot and hiking trails in the mountains around the campus of the University of Montana.

Local police, university police and state troopers were on hand to track down those in need and to look for suspicious behavior in or around the stadium within a three-mile radius.

Why tethered drones for security?

“By using CloudCover services flying with attached Elistair drones, I was able to gain a significant benefit in the safety of people at a large event,” said Brad Giffin, police chief of the University of Montana. “The images provided by CloudCover enabled an enormous increase in my situational awareness, the opportunity as the chief of operations to experience events firsthand and to help my officers if necessary without having to rely only on radio communication.”

After the concert, the Orion 2, equipped with an infrared camera, ensured that fans and employees left the stadium smoothly and also located groups of people hidden in the stadium in order to have them evacuated.

During the 6-hour operation, the Orion 2 provided vital support to the emergency services so that they could rely on the drone’s continuous flight time to monitor the area and ensure effective coordination.

“Elistair’s connected products provide event security personnel with an incredible ability by providing the endurance for the duration of an event with an aerial view of the entire event area,” said Richard Simpson, co-founder and mission commander of Cloud Cover.

Ian attended the Dominican University of California, where he received a BA in English in 2019. With a lifelong passion for writing and storytelling and a keen interest in technology, he is now a contributor to DroneLife.

Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional marketplace for drone services, and a passionate observer of the emerging drone industry and regulatory environment for drones. Author of over 3,000 articles focusing on the commercial drone space, Miriam is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam graduated from the University of Chicago and has over 20 years experience in high-tech sales and marketing for emerging technologies.
For advice or writing in the drone industry, email Miriam.

TWITTER: @spaldingbarker

Subscribe to DroneLife here.

Related Articles