GILLETTE, Wyo. (AP) Campbell County surveyors are hoping to buy drones to help do the job.

County officials say the use of unmanned aerial vehicles could save taxpayers thousands of dollars a year.

The chief surveyor told County Commissioners recently how drones can be used for surveying work. Some of the applications for the county include topography, route planning, volume calculation, site planning and aerial photography.

Drones are beginning to be used in a number of industries. In addition to landfill and road surveys, the aerial views are useful for coal mines, construction projects, rooftop inspections and even parking-lot surveys.

The Gillette News Record reports that commissioners postponed making a decision about whether to buy a drone until they heard more.

For more information, visit http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com.