SPRINGFIELD (AP) — Illinois State Police have been cleared to start using drones to help investigate major crashes.
Monday, state police received authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct drone missions throughout Illinois.
Officials say the drones will help gather information more quickly at crime scenes and can reduce the amount of time a highway has to be shut down after a major crash.
State police hope the drone program will be a major asset during natural disasters and searches for those who’ve gone missing.