Cincinnati Police Deploy Expensive Skydio Drones to Enhance Public Safety by 2025

Cincinnati’s police department has launched a drone program featuring expensive Skydio drones to strengthen public safety and tackle rising crime, aiming to cover 90% of the city by the end of 2025. Announced on June 24, 2025, by Police Chief Teresa Theetge, the initiative uses unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to assist investigations, manage traffic incidents, and support a task force targeting youth crime, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. The high cost of these Blue sUAS drones, however, poses budgetary challenges.

Drones as First Responders

The drone unit, with one supervisor and four officers, will expand in July 2025 to cover 90% of Cincinnati’s 80 square miles by year-end. At a Juneteenth block party at The Banks, a Skydio drone with a spotlight and audio commands dispersed a disorderly crowd. “With the drone, within seconds, a drone can be up, over there, telling us what’s going on and saving an officer a trip,” Theetge said. Matching those used by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, these Skydio drones offer a 45 mph top speed, 40-minute flight time, and zoom and thermal cameras for real-time monitoring.

Costly Blue sUAS Technology

Cincinnati’s Skydio drones are part of the Pentagon’s Blue sUAS program, launched in 2020 to reduce reliance on Chinese technology. These drones cost 8 to 14 times more than Chinese-made DJI or Autel models, per a government memo cited by DroneXL. High costs have limited Blue sUAS drone purchases, reducing operational capacity. These drones offer less flexibility for non-military tasks and often include Chinese components, compromising cybersecurity objectives and exposing first responders to supply chain constraints.

Targeting Youth Crime

The program supports a task force addressing youth-driven crime, such as car thefts and break-ins in areas like parking garages. “They may be met with a drone that’s following them to see what behavior they’re up to,” Theetge explained. This strategy aligns with those of departments like the New York Police Department, which use drones for urban crime prevention.

Privacy and Usage Protocols

Privacy concerns have prompted reassurances. Mayor Aftab Pureval stated, “It’s important to know that there will not be drones overhead in Cincinnati streets 24/7.” Theetge emphasized “high expectations” for officers to adhere to strict guidelines, ensuring drones are used only for specific tasks like investigations or task force operations.

Industry Trends and Challenges

Cincinnati’s adoption of Skydio drones likely with Skydio docks, and reportedly integrated with other Axon tech such as body camera systems as seen in Hamilton County’s contract, reflects a U.S. push for secure UAVs. Yet, the high costs—potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars (exact figures pending)—and reduced versatility could limit scalability.

Regulatory challenges, such as FAA compliance for urban flights, and public skepticism about surveillance may shape future deployments. For drone professionals, this highlights the demand for advanced UAVs but underscores the economic and operational trade-offs of Blue sUAS technology.