Look at the Sky!

A drone, also called an unmanned aerial vehicle, is a flying device that operates without a pilot on board. A person controls it remotely, and it can fly using software and sensors. The drone has become a vital part of Emergency Management and the Sheriff's Office, by being used to aid in search and rescue using thermal imaging, surveillance, and finding stolen property, mapping for crime scenes, vehicle accidents, and postdisaster documentation.

The Rooks County Emergency Management Department and the Sheriff's Office bought their first two drones around 2018. The larger drone is being used the majority of the time, and the smaller one is used by deploying inside buildings.

At that time, Butch Post was the Emergency Management Director, and Gary Knight was the Sheriff. Butch Post, Plainville Police Chief Troy Rudman, Deputy Quinton Silsby, and Deputy James Balthazor were trained as pilots and gained FAA UAS Pilot licenses. In 2024, Deputy Tyler Williams and the new Emergency Management Director, Adam Bryant, also became certified pilots for Rooks County.

Federal and State governments announced that there would be a ban on the use and purchase of DJI (and other drones from 'countries of interest' for public service. DJI was the only brand of drones that Rooks County had at that time. The government was looking to protect national security and did not want foreignmade drones for public use. As technology advanced, it became increasingly difficult to find critical com- ponents for both drones. When the Kansas law was finally passed it allowed for the continued use of existing drones but not the purchase of critical parts should they need replaced or repaired.

Starting in January 2025, Bryant, now serving as the director, was on the hunt for an American- made model that would meet the new requirements for public service use. Bryant found the drone that would best suit the County's needs at SKYDIO. The X10 model included five batteries, a speaker, a spotlight, pilot training, and three years of cloud service. The cost for the drone and accessories was $28,092.00. The drone can take pictures every three feet, with overlapping shots to capture all the details. Those shots can be stitched together to create a single image and display terrain depth and thermal imagery.

With the cost of the new drone, Bryant started fundraising in May 2025. Grants from Heartland Community Foundation, Dane G. Hansen Foundation, Donations from Stockton, Plainville, Woodston, Palco, and Damar. Emergency Management's and Sheriff's reserve equipment funds, along with donations, were from private donors. With the funds secured, the SKYDIO x10 was ordered in January of 2025 and received in February of 2025.

Bryant said, 'The drone will be utilized anywhere it is needed within Rooks and in the neighboring counties. It can also serve promotional projects and community outreach efforts such as demonstrations at schools or organizations.'

Plans are in place to train three to five more pilots, including another deputy, two Stockton firefighters, and two Plainville firefighters. Moreover, after the next five to eight years, technological advances may lead to the agencies needing a new drone. Thus, plans are being discussed to locate funds when the time comes to replace the drone. With a total of $29,900.00 raised for this model, the monies remaining in the budget will be used for replacement batteries, propellers, and software updates.

Rooks County Emergency Management strives to serve the County and surrounding counties with the advanced technology that drones can provide.