Kenton County Aviation Section

The Kenton County Police Department's Aviation Section has been fully operational since early 2019. From its inception in 2016, the Aviation Section has worked diligently to obtain the appropriate unmanned aircraft to support a wide array of missions.

Today, the Aviation Section has nine FAA Certificated Pilots flying the Mavic Pro, Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual, and the Matrice 210.

Missions include:

• Search and Rescue
• Vehicle Collision Investigations
• Fire Department Operation Over watch
• SWAT Operation Over watch

The Aviation Section also supports the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEM) during emergencies or disasters, through aerial surveillance. The expanding role of the Aviation Section now includes support for the Southern Ohio, Southeastern Indiana, and Northern Kentucky (SOSINK) Area Maritime Security Committee (AMSC) and the U. S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Cincinnati. The Aviation Section uses thermal, infrared, and high-resolution cameras to assist with search and rescue, port and waterway security, prevention and response to terrorist attacks, and counter-terrorism preparedness along the Ohio and Licking Rivers.

Our Aviation Section has been awarded two FEMA Port Security Grants for equipment and Unmanned Aircraft, further expanding our mission capabilities. Plans include adding an additional long range Unmanned Aircraft that includes increased flight time and a flight simulator to provide enhanced training opportunities within the Aviation Section. The Aviation Section also expects to add additional pilots to cover the scope of missions as defined.