Catching criminals and finding missing persons is getting faster and now, it is often happening from the sky.
The Kissimmee Police Department (KFD) began using drones at emergencies and crime scenes within the last month.
“They are assigned to our patrol officers so that every shift day and night. So, 24/7 coverage,” KPD Sgt. Charles Popp said. “These allow us to kind of have a force multiplier to provide our officers and our citizens with safety.”
[WATCH: Kissimmee police drones take flight, giving officers eye in the sky]
St. Cloud debuted its Drones as First Responder Program last year, and other agencies have already seen results on the ground — or rather, from above.
In Orlando, a drone tracked down a suspected burglar trying to escape across a rooftop. In Lady Lake, a drone proved crucial in saving the life of a man with dementia who wandered off into the night, locating him within minutes.
“We used the drone, it’s more efficient, we can get a bird’s eye view of a much larger area as opposed to being stuck in a vehicle driving street by street,” said Officer Robert Chausse of the Lady Lake Police Department told News 6 after the rescue.
[WATCH: Lady Lake police drone assists in recovery of man with dementia]
Unlike the drones hobbyists fly for fun, police drones can be up and running in minutes and have the capability to be flown remotely.
The expanded use of drones does not come without limits.
According to state statue, police need a warrant to use a drone to gather evidence or information, but they can fly without one for large crowd monitoring, if there is suspicion of immediate danger, potential destruction of evidence or a need to prevent property damage.
Officers also cannot fly drones over private property without a warrant or consent, and the drones cannot be equipped with weapons.
Kissimmee is the latest department to add drones, but others are already expanding their fleets.
The City of Orlando recently approved $6,833,898 to purchase 11 SkyDio Drones, accessories, and ongoing support.