The Texas Department of Public Safety is flying radiation-detection sensors aboard its helicopters, a capability the agency highlighted in an Aug. 19 news release marking National Aviation Day.
The program pairs airborne detection technology operated by the agency’s Aircraft Operations Division with the expertise of the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division’s Radiation/Nuclear Team. DPS said the specialized sensors are mounted on department helicopters and transmit data in real time, allowing aircrews to rapidly survey large areas and pass information immediately to personnel on the ground.
“National Aviation Day is an opportunity to recognize not only the dedicated men and women who take to the skies every day, but also the evolving role aviation plays in protecting Texans,” said Aircraft Operations Division Chief Pilot Stacy Holland. “Our aircraft are more than transportation platforms — they’re force multipliers.”
The equipment was acquired through the City of Houston’s Securing the Cities federal grant program, managed by the Houston Office of Homeland Security, according to DPS. Aircraft Operations personnel worked with the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Service to modernize and deploy the system aboard the department’s Bell 412 helicopter, installing specialized mounting equipment, integrating real-time data transmission via satellite connectivity and validating the system through extensive calibration and training.
“Protecting Texas from radiological and nuclear threats requires strong partnerships and constant innovation,” said Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Major Omar Villareal. He said the Radiation/Nuclear Team has years of experience operating detection equipment on the ground, and that extending it into the air “significantly increases our ability to identify anomalies and support large-scale public events.”
The system has already supported security operations at FIFA-related venues in Houston and Dallas, DPS said, and will factor into security planning for other large-scale public events in Texas. The agency said the Bell 412 provides the payload capacity to carry the equipment while transmitting sensor data in real time, eliminating the need to wait until after a flight to analyze results and allowing crews to establish radiation baselines around stadiums, transportation corridors and other critical infrastructure.
The capability remains in an operational onboarding phase. During testing, DPS said, expected readings were detected near hospitals and other facilities that legally use radioactive materials, which the agency said confirmed the system’s sensitivity and effectiveness.
DPS said it plans to deploy the technology aboard both its Bell 412 and Bell 407 helicopters as the program expands. The department describes its Aircraft Operations Division as one of the largest airborne law enforcement units in the country, with 13 duty stations, 27 aircraft and more than 100 personnel.