Drones are one step closer to being part of both the Oregon and Toledo police departments.It's a story we've been following for months

Today was a training day for some of the people who will be operating the new technology. The officers who will be flying the drones still have more training to go through, but the plan is for both departments to have the technology on the streets this fall.

Toledo Police Chief George Kral is excited about the drones,"This is a practical tool we'll use on a daily basis.With our numbers dwindling on a daily basis and money being tight we have to look to technology to help us work smarter, not harder but smarter.This isn't something we'll be flying around and only looking for people breaking the law there are all kinds of uses for this tool "

Oregon Assistant Chief Paul Magdich says for his department those uses include search and rescue as well as fire and crime scenes, "I think the primary use for us will be accident and crime scene mapping. With the software we have, you can do 3D images of the scene, by just using the pictures taken by the drone."

When it comes to traffic accidents, Chief Kral says it could help get traffic moving again sooner, "They are set with GPS coordinates, so instead of shutting down a road or the turnpike for two hours while we do our investigation, we would just put the drone up and map the coordinates. That would allow us to open the roadway much quicker."

Assistant Chief Magdich says the drone pilots go through both training and testing,"There is a testing procedure they have to take classes like a pilot would take."

Oregon and Toledo's drones each cost about $15,000, but Chief Kral says the expectation is that it will pay huge dividends for the departments and the public, "If it can keep police and firefighters safe or help find a person who is missing or hurt, it's worth it's weight in gold."

The drones have been custom built for the departments. Phil Myers is a co-owner at Toledo Aerial Media, the company that worked on the drones,"We designed them to give them longer flight time with the use of better cameras, actually specialty cameras. These are cameras that you can't find at places like Best Buy, Walmart or hobby stores."

Assistant Chief Magdich says the technology is truly impressive,"The resolution on the cameras is amazing. You can have some of them zoom in from the air to read lettering as small as what's on my shirt."

Police understand not everyone is sold on the idea, but they hope that will change."Once people see the way we are using the drones and the benefits of it, people will lose their fears and concerns."

Myers says these drones will put both Toledo and Oregon ahead of the game, "The first time one is used to help someone or save a life it will show the technology is well worth it." And that could happen soon, because the drones are expected to take flight in a matter of weeks