12-05-2014, 05:26 PM
Police forces use drones to help clear traffic accidents
Quote:Aeryon labs, a Waterloo company, is making drones that are used by soldiers, pipeline inspectors and police officers...
The drones, made by Aeryon Labs Inc. in a small facility in north Waterloo, are the high-end version used by military, companies and police forces, with the aim of being easy to use, with simple training.
With a price tag ranging from $65,000 up to $120,000, depending on the bells and whistles, they are considered critical equipment for investigators, researchers and soldiers alike. The majority of Aeryon’s two drones — Scout and SkyRanger — are sold for export, an advantage that the Canadian company has, given competitors in the U.S. face strict restrictions around exports that have defence capabilities.
About half of Aeryon’s sales are for military use, with the remaining split equally between commercial and public safety uses. "We’re in the right place at the right time,” said president and CEO Dave Kroetsch, a 35-year-old University of Waterloo graduate who founded the company with friends Mike Peasgood and Steffen Lindner in 2007.