by Joan Eliyesil ·
Friday, October 11, 2024
It’s capital request season in Harvard, and first up at the Capital Planning and Investment Committee meeting Oct. 3 was Police Chief James Babu, who is requesting $35,000 for two new drones and related equipment and $26,440 for new computer hardware, including a new server and eight new personal computers and monitors.
Babu said the new drones would have a range nearly twice that of the department’s existing drone, and they would be able to fly 10 to 20 minutes longer before needing a battery recharge. The drone cameras would also have four times the resolution of the current drone. He recalled using the drone for a nighttime thermal search and not being able to tell the difference between a deer and a person.
The new drones would also be able to fly in rain and snow, something the existing drone, as well as state police helicopters, can’t do. They’re also more agile, making them more useful in fast-moving searches or rescue operations.
One drone would be used by the Police Department and the other would go to the Fire Department. Although the primary uses for the drones would be locating missing persons and managing large fires, Babu said the current drone has been used for more mundane tasks, including inspecting the station roof, determining conservation property lines, and taking aerial photos of accident scenes.
The town has applied for a $35,000 earmark that is part of a bond bill pending approval from the state Legislature. If approved, the money would fully fund the drones, and then some. Babu said a newer model with an even longer flight time will be available in the spring, so he wanted to make sure the request would cover any increase in cost for that model. He said he is also looking at a larger drone that the two departments would share, and that would also fit in the $35,000 budget.
Babu’s second request is for new computer hardware to replace the department’s existing server and personal computers, whose five-year warranties expire in March. In addition, Babu wants to replace the department’s eight monitors, which are between seven and 12 years old. He said extending the warranties on the computers would be cost-prohibitive, and the old monitors lack some modern features such as faster refresh rates. He added that replacing the server, personal computers, and monitors all at the same time would ensure that all the department’s computer hardware is compatible with newer technology over the next few years.
The next CPIC meeting is scheduled for Oct. 17, when the Department of Public Works will present its requests.