Flathead County Sheriff’s Office gets new underwater drone
HANNAH SHIELDS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 months, 2 weeks AGO
The Flathead County Courthouse in Kalispell on Thursday, June 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
RURAL GOVERNMENT REPORTER, REPORT FOR AMERICA Hannah Shields covers rural government and accountability reporting for the Daily Inter Lake and Northwest Montana weekly papers as part of the national Report for America program. Her reporting focuses on transparency, public spending and the impact of local government decisions on small communities. Shields has covered issues ranging from school district finances to development disputes and rural infrastructure projects. She regularly uses public records and investigative reporting to examine institutions that affect local residents. Her work helps bring greater oversight and visibility to rural government across Northwest Montana. IMPACT: Hannah’s work strengthens transparency and accountability in rural communities that often lack consistent watchdog coverage. | January 13, 2026 11:00 PM
The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office is set to receive a new remote underwater vehicle after getting approval from county commissioners on Tuesday.
The Sheriff’s Office's current remote underwater vehicle is near the end of its 10-year lifespan, said Deputy Darrin Wise, who also serves as the Flathead County Search and Rescue coordinator. Technology on the older machine is outdated, he said, equipped with only one camera, no sonar technology and poor location services. It’s easy to get lost while operating the underwater vehicle, he said.
“You have no idea where you physically are, you know, other than what you could see in front of the screen,” Wise said. “You think [the vehicle is] right below you, but it might be 100 yards to the west. The new ones have far better tracking capabilities.”
These vehicles or drones are used by the Sheriff’s Office for recovery purposes, he said. It benefits search and rescue operations to find people who fell in lakes and rivers, and is also used to collect submerged evidence in underwater law enforcement operations.
Prices for underwater remote vehicles, however, have increased substantially in the last decade. Older vehicles cost approximately between $60,000 and $80,000 — vehicles today are nearly triple the price.
Wise asked county commissioners for a budget amendment Tuesday morning, after the original $139,500 price tag went up to $207,900. The Sheriff’s Office was able to make up the $68,400 difference with cash in the department’s budget, he said, saving taxpayers additional costs.
“This is a significant difference in price,” said Commissioner Randy Brodehl. “Is this something we could’ve anticipated when we're putting the budget together?”
“I don't know if we could plan for that,” Wise answered. “Everything has just gone up significantly, even within the last year.”
Now that the purchase has been approved, the Sheriff’s Office will move forward by placing the order from Oceanbotics. The process will take eight to 10 weeks, and Wise expects the new vehicle to arrive in early April.
“Which is good timing for the summer,” he said.
Reporter Hannah Shields can be reached at 758-4439 or [email protected].
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