Bound together by their passion for drones, Colorado State University Drone Center Director Christopher Robertson and Assistant Director Adam Smith began work at the Center in 2014, championing the use of drones in law enforcement and search and rescue in Colorado.

Having attended the same high school and worked together as police officers, the duo’s missions seem to have aligned, even if unintentionally.

When Smith and Robertson began their work with drones in the police force, the regulations surrounding drone usage were unclear. Although the technology was available, Colorado had not yet capitalized on its full potential. Robertson first worked with drones at Larimer County Search and Rescue. After realizing their potential, the two got special permission to fly drones by applying for a Certificate of Authorization through the Federal Aviation Administration.

“We saw all the things that drones could do for good,” Robertson said. “We use them to help locate lost people. We can use them to assist officers with safety and risk assessment so that we don’t have to put people in dangerous situations because, basically, we can see robotically what’s going on, slow the situation down (and) deescalate it. (There are) various different uses. We can document the world.”

Robertson and Smith have also found ways to incorporate drones into other police tools, like K9 teams. The CSU Drone Center offers classes to law enforcement, teaching them how to use drones to keep K9s safe and make operations as efficient as possible.

“One of the things we teach them is how to work with the K9 team as a law enforcement K9 team,” Robertson said. “You can work with that canine using a thermal camera at night to be able to see in front of them a couple 100 yards and be able to warn them when that suspect is coming up.”

Robertson’s dog, Bohannon — “Bo” — acts as an ambassador for LSCAR and has plenty of search and rescue missions under his belt. He sometimes stops by the office at the Center and goes out in the field.

The CSU Drone Center is a nonprofit that offers access to a wide range of services, all committed to serving the community. The Center hires engineering students to build drones, offers classes to orient CSU students with the world of drones and provides opportunities for students to work on obtaining their pilot license. Smith compared the functions of the CSU Drone Center to a tripod: It is composes three essential pillars that guide the center’s work.

Robertson described the pillars as research, which includes supporting researchers with the help of drones; education, including teaching classes at CSU; and the Center’s services, which comprise videography and photography.

Addisen Hollis, an engineering student, said she heard about the Center in a civil engineering lecture. Like many students, she is excited by the Drone Center’s offerings, especially the career-related experiences.

“Having that experience would be super cool and would be a great skill set to have,” Hollis said. “If I were to go into transportation for civil engineering, it could be helpful to have this knowledge.”

Smith and Robertson said they recall what it was like to be a beginner in aviation, and they draw on that memory to make their programs accessible for students of all ages and backgrounds. The Center offers workforce development training for younger students who may have limited access to opportunities.

Robertson described the memories of his first flight and how it feels to teach beginners at the CSU Drone Center.

“They said, ‘OK, pull back on the yoke,’” Robertson said. “And I pulled back, and the aircraft became an airplane, and it stopped being a spunky little tricycle land vehicle. And you feel yourself get lighter, and the wheels stop rolling — you hear them stop. (It was) just this magical moment.”

Through the work of the CSU Drone Center and its outreach programs, Smith and Robertson hope to share their passion with future generations. With the help of Bo, the duo plans to continue to push for education and access to everything drone technology offers.

Reach Ella Dorpinghaus at life@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.