Metra Police have launched drones to monitor its rail lines and facilities as part of a new pilot program, aiming to improve safety and security throughout the system and decrease response times to incidents along the railroad.

“This pilot project aligns with [Northern Illinois Transit Authority] (NITA)’s legislative mandate  to improve safety, security and coordination across the region’s transit system,” said Metra Executive Director and CEO Jim Derwinski. “When an incident occurs along the railroad, our response times can be hampered by street traffic and distance. These drones and their expanded capabilities allow us to quickly get eyes on the scene and accurately assess the situation, so law enforcement, employees and partner agencies can respond safely and effectively. They can also be used to assist our partners at [the Chicago Transit Authority] CTA and Pace [Suburban Bus] during service disruptions and security incidents if they are within range of our drones.”

The project is funded through a $620,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP), which provides transit agencies with funding for projects intended to protect transportation infrastructure and the traveling public.

Under the pilot program, Metra has purchased three Beyond Visual Line of Sight drones and stationed them at its 18th Street Yard facility on the Metra Electric Line  and its Western Avenue Coach Yard. The drones are controlled remotely and monitored by Metra Police officers who are licensed drone pilots. The drones are equipped with high-definition video, 3-D rendering and infrared capabilities with a flight range of approximately three miles. When needed, Metra also has the capability to share visuals from the drones with first responders, partner agencies and the more than 100 communities Metra serves.

Metra Police notes it has had a drone unit for several years that uses both tethered and piloted drones that require officers on site to operate. The drone program has helped Metra Police transform operations during incident responses by collecting data and providing responders with a livestream of the scene. They have also been deployed to monitor crowds during large events and improve safe crowd management at our facilities.

The drones tested under the new pilot program are operated remotely, enabling even faster responses and assessment capabilities, according to the agency.

Leveraging technology to improve safety for Metra’s passengers, employees and the communities it serves aligns with NITA’s mandate to improve public safety and coordinate incident response across the Chicago region’s public transit network. Metra says it also envisions using these drones to assist with infrastructure inspections, emergency response training, parking lot and station capacity inspections, storm damage assessments and more. Metra has already applied for another round of TSGP funding to expand the drone network to additional sections of the railroad with the initial focus on trespassing “hot spots,” rail yards and construction sites.