>She explained that an officer operating an armed drone from afar would simply not have the same understanding of a situation that an officer on location would have.

Remoteness is double edged. You might have less immediate insight (if it could not pick up audio signals, for example and only relied on video) or did not have coordination with confederates on the ground, on the other hand, if the situation were to break out, there is less immediate threat and the "officer" would also feel less immediate threat to cause defensive or offensive reaction or action.

In other words, remoteness might allow the "officer" to maintain a cooler head in the "midst" of a melee and respond less impulsively (or reactively).