BWI Now Offers Traffic Accident Investigation Services
April 1, 2024BWI Offers Event Data Recorder (EDR) Download and Analysis as Part of Accident Investigation Services
October 25, 2024Drone Services Further Augment the Firm’s Comprehensive Services
The landscape of private investigations at BWI Investigations-Forensics (BWI) continues to evolve, with new technology driving advancements to enhance the firm’s investigative techniques.
BWI believes it is the first private investigations firm in the Nashville, Tennessee, area to offer drone services to gather evidence for various types of cases, including traffic accident reconstruction and crime scene analysis.
BWI Digital Forensics expert Kyne Marshall earned his FAA Part 107 license to operate an unmanned drone in early 2024 and has already been putting the drone aircraft to work – and creating electronic and physical 3D models from drone images.
His drone is equipped with high-definition cameras, capable of capturing clear images and videos, even in challenging conditions. BWI says the drone will prove invaluable for gathering evidence that is precise and well-documented to aid in their fact-seeking.
Drone Use in Traffic Accident Investigations
BWI’s use of its drone in evidence-gathering thus far includes Kyne’s creation of a 3D electronic model for traffic accident reconstruction.
To determine who was at fault in a deadly traffic accident, Kyne flew the drone down the road. The drone’s cameras scanned the scene, capturing multiple images. Kyne then used photogrammetry software to turn the drone footage into an electronic 3D model. From there, he added data from the client’s car airbag to reconstruct the accident in precise detail, showing which driver was at fault. He then provided the data to BWI Traffic Investigations Expert John Maxwell, who incorporated the information into his analysis.
Using all that data, Kyne created a 3D animation that shows the client’s view as he traveled down the road. The 3D animation, as well as the electronic 3D model, can be shown to a jury to explain what transpired during an accident.
“We can show where the two cars were when they struck each other and which driver was to blame,” Kyne explains.
In a different investigation, Kyne used the drone to verify the accuracy of a witness account. A witness stated they observed an incident on the street below from a particular floor in a building as they looked out a window.
Kyne flew the drone to the same window and held it in the air, scanning the street below from all angles to determine what the witness may have seen and measuring distances.
“It’s a great help in our investigative process,” Kyne says.
Drone Use in Crime Scene Investigations
Using the drone, BWI can get an eagle-eye view of a crime scene – or a place where a crime has long since occurred – to get a unique perspective. And, the drone enables BWI investigators to easily reach areas with difficult access, such as rural properties, industrial zones, or large open spaces.
The drone captures physical details of a crime scene, providing exceptional visual documentation that BWI can use as part of its crime scene analyses/reconstruction. The documentation can also be used in court.
For example, Kyne recently flew the drone around a closed airport and captured images of an old airplane hangar. Using photogrammetry software, he turned the drone images into an electronic 3D model. Then, using his 3D printer, Kyne generated a physical 3D model of the aircraft hangar, which he placed over a scene map he created. The result is an engaging, accurate, interactive trial exhibit that can help attorneys explain to jurors complex facts, technical details, or spatial relationships in a crime scene.
“We can do a drone scan of a crime scene or an area where a crime occurred, and from that, we can take measurements,” Kyne says. “We can do complex analyses for cases involving different locations or determining trajectories or angles – such as in our crime scene reconstructions.”
The drone, he says, further augments BWI Crime Scene Expert Johnny Lawrence’s work in crime scene investigations and reconstruction.
Possible Future Uses of Drones in BWI’s Work
While BWI has used its drone for traffic accident and crime scene investigations so far, the possibilities are endless. In some cases, obtaining time-sensitive evidence might be crucial for the success of their investigations. BWI’s drone can be deployed quickly to gather evidence and allow their defense attorney clients to respond to unfolding events and adjust their thinking or strategies.
BWI says that by offering drones as part of their comprehensive menu of investigative services, they can better gather the evidence to make the case and better help serve their clients.
For details, please call BWI at (615) 646-0860 or fill out this contact form.