Tethered Drones for Security: Elistair Orion 2 Flies Over Guns N’ Roses Concert

Police responsible for safety at a Guns N’ Roses concert that drew 14,000 fans used Elistair Orion 2 tethered drones for security – here’s why customers including the French defense agency and CNN Air are using tethered drones to secure large events.

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby

On the evening of August 13, 2021, an Elistair Orion 2 unmanned aerial vehicle was utilized to monitor a Guns N’ Roses concert held at the University of Montana. The drone flew over the venue continuously for six hours in order to guarantee the safety of the 14,000 attendees.

Police at the University of Montana’s Washington Grizzly Stadium were given access to a consistent aerial view of the stadium and surrounding area, streamed directly from the Orion’s electro optic and infrared sensors. The Orion’s dual sensor payload in conjunction with its 24 hour flight endurance enabled the system to carry out an uninterrupted, day into night mission, eliminating the need to land.

The drone was deployed by CloudCover on the roof of a building in the immediate vicinity of the stadium, and granted the command post a permanent view of the stadium grounds, including both entry and exit points, as well as sales areas, the parking lot, and hiking trails on the mountains surrounding the University of Montana campus.

Local police, university police, and state troopers were on hand to locate individuals in distress and watch for any suspicious behaviour in or around the stadium within a three-mile radius.

Why Tethered Drones for Security?

“By using CloudCover services flying Elistair tethered drones, I was able to gain a significant advantage in keeping people safe at a large event,” said Brad Giffin, University of Montana’s Chief of Police. “The imagery provided by CloudCover enabled a huge increase in my situational awareness, the ability to witness events first-hand as an Incident Commander, and to provide assistance to my officers if needed without having to rely simply on radio voice communications.”

When the concert was over, the infrared camera-equipped Orion 2 ensured the smooth exit of fans and employees, and additionally located groups of people hiding in the stadium in order to have them evacuated.

During the 6-hour operation, the Orion 2 provided the emergency services with crucial support, allowing them to rely on the drone’s continuous flight time to maintain an overwatch of the area and to ensure effective coordination.

“Elistair’s tethered products provide an incredible capability for event security staff by providing the endurance for the duration of an event with the aerial perspective of the entire event area,” said Richard Simpson, Cloud Cover’s Co-Founder and Mission Commander.

Ian attended Dominican University of California, where he received a BA in English in 2019. With a lifelong passion for writing and storytelling and a keen interest in technology, he is now contributing to DroneLife as a staff writer.