Los Angeles police gifted 2 drones from Seattle

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The Los Angeles Police Department is expected to fly two drone helicopters over the city's skies, officials announced.

The drones, however, will only be used for special situations, such as barricades or hostage situations, officials said.

The unmanned, remote-controlled helicopters are 3 feet wide with three rotors and can carry a video camera.

The two Draganflyer X6 aircraft were given as a gift by the Seattle Police Department, which bought them with federal grant money. Seattle drew criticism over privacy concerns during the program, which led the mayor to end drone use.

Hector Villagra, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, urged the LAPD to develop strong policies to ensure limited drone use.

Drones "could pose particular threats to privacy when combined with other technology like facial recognition software, infrared night vision cameras or microphones to record personal conversations," Villagra said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.