Skip to main content

US police use GPS tracker darts

Police in Florida and Iowa are using a GPS tracking system that shoots a dart-like tracker at a target vehicle, enabling them to remain a safe distance behind, but still have a way of tracking the vehicle’s location and speed.
September 2, 2014 Read time: 1 min

Police in Florida and Iowa are using a GPS tracking system that shoots a dart-like tracker at a target vehicle, enabling them to remain a safe distance behind, but still have a way of tracking the vehicle’s location and speed.

The system being enables police to shoot the GPS tracker from an air cannon that is attached to the front of a police car; the tracker sticks to the vehicle and tags it. Once the GPS tracker is attached to the vehicle, police are able to monitor its speed and location from a remote location via a real time map, without the need for a potentially dangerous high speed chase.

Related Content

  • Australia's ground breaking average speed enforcement
    February 1, 2012
    The speed enforcement system on the Hume Highway in Australia combines both spot and point-to-point solutions. Here, Redflex's Peter Whyte discusses its implementation. The Australian State of Victoria has achieved notable success in reducing casualty rates since launching a three-pronged road accident prevention initiative in the late-1980s.
  • Fotech Solutions performs acoustic track
    July 14, 2020
    Harnessing distributed acoustic sensing technology across urbanised city transport networks can deliver real advantages for traffic flow, says Stuart Large of Fotech Solutions
  • Using electricity to power road freight
    October 22, 2014
    Next year sees the start of the first real-life electrified road system for transporting freight. Worldwide freight transportation is predicted to double by 2050 but despite expansion of global rail infrastructure only one third of this additional freight transport can be handled by trains. This means that the largest proportion of freight transport will continue to be by road and as a result, experts expect global CO2 emissions from road freight traffic to more than double by 2050.
  • New system to prevent Hazchem and over-height vehicles entering tunnel
    August 20, 2015
    An impending move to free-flow charging prompted a search for automated dangerous goods identification and over-height detection systems at the Thames Crossing to the east of London. Manned toll booths are increasingly being consigned to history by the onslaught of all-electronic charging. However, a secondary function of the traditional manned plazas has been to prevent non-compliant vehicles using the facility or to tell a driver that that they need to use a specific lane or wait for an escort. Automating