A POLICEMAN operates a drone during the Drone Piloting Skills Challenge on Thursday, Sept. 11, in Camp Sergio Osmeña Sr. in Cebu City.(Photo via Calvin Cordova)
CEBU CITY – The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Team 2 topped the Drone Piloting Skills Challenge on Thursday, Sept. 11, in Camp Sergio Osmeña Sr. here.
CCPO Team 2 won the competition by scoring 78.84 points, followed by Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Team 2 with 78.47 points. CPPO Team 1 was third with 77.44 points.
The Police Regional Office-Central Visayas (PRO-7), through the Regional Information Communication Technology Management Division, spearheaded the conduct of the competition.
Other participating units were the Lapu-lapu City Police Office, Bohol Provincial Police Office, Regional Mobile Force Battalion, and Mandaue City Police Office.
Each team had a pilot, co-pilot, spotter, and narrator.
The participants were judged through safety protocols, piloting and flight skills, precision, accuracy, speed, efficiency, and mission accomplishment.
Pilots maneuvered through a designed obstacle course, testing their control, precision, and aerial photography skills.
Police Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, chief of PRO-7, said the conduct of the competition highlighted the need to adapt to innovation in law enforcement.
"In today’s evolving law enforcement landscape, advanced technologies like drones are vital to modern policing. They provide strategic operational advantages, enhance response times, and minimize risks to our personnel. Strengthening our officers’ drone piloting skills underscores our commitment to remain Makabagong Pulis—innovative, capable, and focused on our mission," Maranan said.
The PRO-7 announced that the competition will become an annual activity.
Maranan said the competition aims to strengthen operational readiness in surveillance, search-and-rescue operations, disaster response, crime scene monitoring, and crowd control.
Currently, the PRO-7 has 140 drones.