Addressing Inadequate Forensic Training and Resources for Law Enforcement National Strategy in Drone based Investigations

Abstract

The rapid proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has introduced new complexities to forensic investigations, exposing gaps in training, protocols, and scalable resources particularly for smaller or remote jurisdictions. This study proposes a national strategy that unifies three pillars: (i) operational readiness through tiered certification, microlearning, rapid deployment kits, and standardized procedures; (ii) equitable regional support via shared laboratories, knowledge portals, and capability assessments; and (iii) workforce development via diversified recruitment, apprenticeships, and retention incentives. The framework synthesizes evidence from recent initiatives and commercially available toolchains to offer a scalable, standards-aligned approach for securing, processing, and presenting drone-derived digital evidence. Emphasis is placed on institutional learning, accreditation harmoniza-tion, and mechanisms for sustaining expertise. The strategy is intended as a practical, evidence-based model to improve consistency and admissibility of drone evidence across heterogeneous agency contexts.