Cape and the City of San Diego Mark Launch of First UAS IPP Drone Deployment with Live Public Safety Demonstration

USA - English

• USA - English

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Aug. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Cape, the leading cloud platform for drone telepresence and data management, in partnership with the City of San Diego, today announced the launch of the city's first UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP) drone deployment for the San Diego Fire Department.

The launch, which is one of the first IPP deployments nationwide, was kicked off with a live public safety demonstration at San Diego Fire Station #37 on Friday, August 10, 2018. Working alongside the San Diego Fire Department, drones equipped with the Cape Aerial Telepresence platform were launched as part of a fire call simulation. Aimed at offering a first-hand view of the impact on emergency response efforts, the demonstration showcased a number of drone capabilities that will be utilized in San Diego's public safety IPP initiatives, including the ability to provide real-time aerial visibility to first responder teams both on scene and in the command center, and to better and more quickly inform resource decisions for emergency situations.

Announced in late 2017, the IPP is an initiative from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), focused on enabling the safe expansion of commercial drone operations in the United States. The demonstration with the San Diego Fire Department follows closely behind the recent announcement of San Diego's selection as one of just 10 national awardees selected for the IPP, and marks the first of several program deployments that will be powered by Cape technology. Additional initiatives are expected to launch in the coming months, including deployments with Chula Vista Police Department, where Cape-enabled drones will be used for emergency response support.

"Today's smartest cities are turning to drones to not only power innovation but to improve the safety of residents, visitors and first responders,"said Chris Rittler, CEO of Cape. "It's an honor to be a part of one of the very first IPP deployments and to showcase the full capabilities of drones and the impact on public safety. The city of San Diego is helping define the smart cities of the future and we are extremely proud to be the technology partner they trust to make it possible."

"This advanced technology will make emergency responses more efficient, reduce costs and save lives," said John Valencia, Executive Director of the City's Office of Homeland Security. "Time is valuable in any situation and drones will allow the City to better allocate resources when responding to emergencies."

Its work with the city of San Diego is the latest example of Cape's work helping companies across industries use drones as a tool for improving safety, increasing operational efficiency and enabling innovation. The SDFD launch expands on the company's success with similar public safety initiatives around the world, including its work with the the city of Ensenada, Mexico, where drones equipped with the Cape Aerial Telepresence platform were used to reduce crime rates by more than 10 percent and improve emergency response times by 90 percent.

Furthering its reputation as one of the leaders in the drone software space, Cape is one of the first and only companies in the U.S. to be awarded precedent-setting waivers under both Section 333 and Part 107 regulations, and has performed more than 100,000 flights in the U.S., Middle East, Mexico, and New Zealand, with zero incidents.

About Cape
Cape unlocks the full potential of commercial drones, giving companies all of the benefits with none of the traditional hassle. Every day, Cape users log in to the Cape Aerial Telepresence™ platform, connect to physical drones around the world, and safely conduct flights with remote visibility to capture live, high-resolution video. The only cloud-based system for drone telepresence and data management, Cape provides secure, real-time visualization that increases productivity and operational efficiency and improves safety. Since its founding in 2014, Cape has been a leader in software for drone usability, and the trusted drone software solution for a wide range of use cases, from construction and public safety to oil & gas and agriculture. To date, more than 100,000 Cape-enabled drone flights have been completed with zero incidents. For more information about Cape, please visit http://www.cape.com.

SOURCE Cape