Rockbridge First Responders Embrace DJI Matrice 30T and Autel 640T

In Rockbridge, Virginia, first responders have found a new partner that does not drink coffee, does not complain about overtime, and can hover over a cornfield at midnight without blinking.

The Rockbridge Regional Public Safety Communications Center has quietly built a drone program that is now reshaping how local agencies handle search and rescue, suspect tracking, and fire response, as The News-Gazette reports.

What started as a practical solution to inspect radio towers has evolved into a full fledged aerial support unit for the region.

According to Executive Director Curtis Berry, the feedback from agencies has been overwhelmingly positive. In his words, it has become real handy. Translation for the rest of us: once you get used to eyes in the sky, you do not want to go back to squinting at tree lines.

From Radio Towers to Rescue Missions

The communications center purchased its first drone about two and a half years ago. The original mission was simple. Inspect equipment mounted on tall radio towers without sending a human climbing into the clouds. Fewer ladders. Fewer risks. Same result.

But it did not take long for local law enforcement and fire agencies to see the broader potential. Soon, requests began coming in for search and rescue support and suspect tracking.

Late last year, the center formalized the program with standard operating procedures for its small Unmanned Aircraft System. That codification matters. It signals that this is not a hobbyist with a controller. It is an operational tool with defined rules and accountability.

Today, the center operates three drones.

For larger scale missions, they deploy the Autel EVO II 640T and the DJI Matrice 30T.

Both platforms feature thermal imaging, a critical capability when searching for missing persons at night or in dense terrain. Heat signatures do not lie, even when suspects try to.

For tighter environments, including barricaded suspect scenarios, the team turns to the DJI Avata 2. Smaller, agile, and capable of navigating confined spaces, it is the drone equivalent of sending in a very polite mechanical hummingbird.

Operating these systems is not casual joystick work. Two communications center staff members hold FAA licenses, ensuring compliance with federal regulations.

In 2025 alone, the drones logged 30 flight hours across 157 missions. That is not flashy headline volume. It is steady, practical usage. The kind that builds institutional confidence.

Thermal Vision and Time Saved

Search and rescue has become the primary use case.

An aerial view allows deputies and firefighters to narrow search grids quickly. Instead of walking every acre with boots and flashlights, responders can clear large swaths of land from above. As one of the program’s pilots put it, you can knock out a lot of things just by putting a drone in the air.

In early January, the Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office used the drones to locate a teenager who had fled from custody during a transfer. Thermal imaging identified her position, and the visual camera confirmed the identification. Minutes mattered.

Days later, drones assisted in the search for a missing man in Fairfield, helping deputies clear areas that were difficult to assess from the ground.

Fire services are also leveraging the technology. During a brush fire on Spring Valley Road in March 2024, drones provided an aerial overview that allowed firefighters to direct resources more efficiently. Instead of guessing where the fire might jump next, they could see it plotting its path.

There is also a training dividend. Structure fires are chaotic, and rarely recorded from an elevated perspective. With drone footage, departments can review scene layout, hose placement, and tactical decisions. It is like game film for firefighters, except the stakes are considerably higher than a missed touchdown.

Speed Versus Helicopters and the Privacy Line

One of the program’s strongest advantages is speed.

Before local drones were available, agencies needing aerial support had to request a helicopter from the Virginia State Police. That asset might be available. Or it might be busy elsewhere. Or it might be refueling. Time does not pause politely during those delays.

With an in house drone team, first responders can launch quickly and gain immediate situational awareness. Less manpower spent blindly searching. More focused deployments. Lower operational costs compared to helicopter sorties.

Of course, whenever drones and cameras are mentioned in the same sentence, the privacy question hovers nearby.

Berry and the program’s pilot have been clear. The drones are not used for random surveillance, harassment, or discriminatory targeting. Their operating procedures explicitly prohibit those activities. Flights conducted for radio tower inspections are not recorded, reinforcing that the program’s backbone remains infrastructure maintenance.

This clarity is essential. Public trust is not optional equipment. It is as critical as the thermal sensor.

Rockbridge’s drone program is a practical case study in how small and mid sized communities can integrate advanced aerial tools without turning them into science fiction plot devices. No dystopian sky patrols. No gadget obsession. Just targeted missions that save time and potentially save lives.

DroneXL’s Take

This is exactly how public safety drone programs should evolve.

Start with a clear operational need. Build internal capability. Formalize procedures. Expand based on real world demand. Maintain strict privacy guardrails.

The combination of the DJI Matrice 30T and Autel 640T gives Rockbridge serious thermal search capability, while the Avata 2 adds tactical flexibility in confined environments. That is a smart, layered fleet strategy.

The bigger lesson is speed. Local drone deployment beats waiting on distant aviation assets almost every time. For rural and semi rural regions, that difference can be decisive.

Drones will not replace helicopters. They will not replace boots on the ground. But they will continue to replace guesswork. And in emergency response, guesswork is the most expensive tool of all.

Photo credit: Joseph Haney, AUTEL, DJI.