EQUIPMENT SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM - DEVELOPMENT EVALUATION OF AERIAL VEHICLES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT APPLICATION

• NCJ Number: 14211
• Author(s): J B NICHOLS
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 114 pages
• Grant Number(s): 72-NI-99-0027
• Contract Number(s): F04701-72-C-0073; LEAA-J-IAA-035-72
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Aerospace Corporation
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

DESCRIPTION AND COMPARISON OF THE PERFORMANCE, COST AND SAFETY OF VARIOUS AIRCRAFT.

Abstract

THIS REPORT REVIEWS POLICE MISSION REQUIREMENTS AND THEN EVALUATES VARIOUS CANDIDATE VEHICLES IN LIGHT OF THESE REQUIREMENTS, THE INDIVIDUAL MERITS OF HELICOPTERS, FIXED-WING AIRPLANES, AUTOGIROS, AND BLIMPS ARE CONSIDERED IN RELATION TO HOW THEY CAN BE APPLIED TO SURVEILLANCE, PATROL, SEARCH AND RESCUE, AND TRAFFIC CONTROL. ALSO STUDIED WERE THEIR RELATIVE SAFETY AND AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS. DESPITE THE EXTENSIVE USE OF HELICOPTERS, PROJECTS CITED AND REVIEWED IN THIS REPORT SUGGEST THAT MOST POLICE AIR OPERATIONS CAN GENERALLY BE PERFORMED BY SIMPLER AND LESS COSTLY VEHICLES, SUCH AS FIXED WING AIRPLANES. THIS STUDY ALSO SHOWS THAT THE PRINCIPAL COST OF AERIAL OPERATIONS IS PERSONNEL, NOT THE VEHICLE. THE REMOTELY PILOTED BLIMP IS NOTED AS ONE OF THE MORE PROMISING, LOW-COST, LOW-FUEL-CONSUMPTION AERIAL VEHICLES FOR FUTURE LAW ENFORCEMENT USE. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS REPORTS ON FUTURE VEHICLES, AIRCRAFT SAFETY, AND THE COMPARISON OF STOL/HELICOPTER EFFECTIVENESS. THE REFERENCE LIST IS DIVIDED ACCORDING TO OPERATIONAL, TECHNICAL, AND COST REFERENCES.