Drone helps police clear crash site more quickly

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A crash shut down East-West Connector in Cobb County for more than an hour Thursday morning.

A driver ran off the road and into the woods near the Silver Comet Trail overpass.

Police said the driver was injured, but was alert and conscious as she was taken to the hospital.

Eastbound lanes between Hicks Road and Fontaine Road were closed.

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Police were able to open the road more quickly by deploying a drone. %

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Austell police got FAA approval to use it just six months ago, and accident reconstruction expert Joseph Powell says it's already been an invaluable tool.

"Drones are used for traffic accident reconstruction, and in our unit, we use it for scene processing, mapping, just to get a good aerial view of our crash scenes," Powell said.

Police used photos captured by the drones and overlaid them with existing maps to create a more accurate map and understanding of the crash scene.

The road was reopened 20 minutes after the drone was deployed.

It took two officers to fly the drone, one to pilot it and one to keep a close eye on its surroundings to make sure it doesn't fly into power lines or trees.

Cox Media Group