Revolutionizing Emergency Response: Skyfire’s Drone Solution

Skyfire Consulting, a public safety UAS consulting group, announced today the launch of Skyfire Response, an all-inclusive solution for Drone First Responder (DFR) programs.

DFR programs revolutionize emergency response by deploying drones, enhancing public safety agencies’ capabilities and protecting communities. These programs aim to reduce response times, improve situational awareness, and boost efficiency.

“Public safety agencies across the country are increasingly under-resourced and understaffed,” said Matt Sloane, Skyfire founder and CEO. “Skyfire Response allows agencies of all sizes to fully outsource DFR program setup and operations to experts, enabling them to focus on their primary responsibilities.”

Skyfire Response capitalizes on the company’s industry-leading partnerships with hardware, software, drone-in-a-box, and data analytics providers, allowing agencies with existing UAS programs to upgrade to a DFR response, and new agencies to get started easily.

An exciting new partnership with Echodyne, a radar platform company, is included in Skyfire Response. Echodyne designs and delivers high-performance, compact solid-state radars utilizing their patented metamaterials ESA technology. Together, Skyfire and Echodyne aim to provide the most comprehensive and robust airspace awareness for public safety, enabling truly remote flying without a visual observer, regardless of weather conditions or time of day.

With a decade of experience implementing hundreds of public safety drone programs across the United States, Skyfire is a pioneer in supporting DFR programs. In 2019, Skyfire became the first consultancy to help the Chula Vista Police Department (CVPD) obtain FAA approval for the nation’s first active emergency response Certificate of Authorization (COA) with a Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) provision for public safety. Since then, Skyfire has continued to invest in DFR technology, supporting nearly a dozen programs.

Skyfire Response offers three tiers – Gold, Silver, and Bronze – based on coverage needs, hardware, software, and autonomy levels.

Skyfire Response Provides:

• Equipment: Skyfire consults and facilitates procurement of the latest aircraft, compact airspace awareness radars from Echodyne, and drone-in-a-box solutions from Hextronix and Ondas, tailored to public safety department requirements.
  
• Training: Skyfire offers program development, FAA regulations, UAS operations, Part 107, and hands-on tactical application training, as well as advanced courses in SWAT operations, accident reconstruction, evidence collection, and mapping/thermography.
  
• FAA Consulting: Skyfire has unmatched experience in obtaining certifications and waivers, from basic Part 107 to Tactical Beyond Visual Line of Sight (TBVLOS) and traditional BVLOS operations. They have filed over 700 traditional COAs and are currently developing a BVLOS waiver with no visual observer using Echodyne’s radar products.
  
• Software: Skyfire equips public safety teams with remote video streaming and full remote-piloting capabilities through various software services, billed separately and as a recurring service.
  
• Program Operation: Skyfire’s experienced pilots fly the UAS for agencies opting to fully outsource their DFR program. Their software packages provide communication and command teams with low-latency live-streaming data, enabling time-critical decision-making while maintaining public safety.

Read more about how First Responders use drones here.