Waikīkī Police May Deploy Skydio X10 Drones Soon

Law enforcement drones could soon become a familiar sight over Waikīkī, as Hawaiʻi officials prepare to launch a drone first responder program using Skydio X10 aircraft, as reported by US News.

The plan, which could begin as early as March, is part of a broader effort to use modern technology to compensate for chronic police staffing shortages, especially in one of the busiest tourist districts in the state.

State sheriffs say the drones would be deployed during peak hours, large events, and festivals, watching public spaces for crimes in progress and responding to emergency calls in roughly 30 seconds. In Waikīkī traffic terms, that is practically instant teleportation.

The drones would stream live video back to officers, giving them a real time view of a situation before anyone arrives on scene.

Honolulu police and the Department of Law Enforcement already use drones for special operations like fireworks enforcement, but this would be the first time drones are used as true first responders, launching quickly to assess incidents as they unfold.

Skydio X10 Drones Take Center Stage

The Department of Law Enforcement plans to lease 12 Skydio X10 drones for about $30,000 each one per year and install four launch pads throughout Waikīkī.

The Skydio X10 is built specifically for public safety missions, with advanced obstacle avoidance, high resolution zoom cameras, thermal imaging, and autonomous navigation designed to operate safely in dense urban environments.

In other words, this is not the kind of drone you accidentally crash into a palm tree on vacation.

According to Mike Lambert, director of the Department of Law Enforcement, the program is meant to help departments stretched thin by vacancies. Honolulu Police Department staffing is down about 20%, while the Department of Law Enforcement is closer to 25%.

“We have a shortage of officers,” Lambert said. “We’re trying to stem the gap through these technologies.”

The Waikīkī Neighborhood Board approved the program in October. One proposed launch site sits atop the Waikīkī Grand Hotel, although board member Rolf Nordahl asked that drones avoid taking off over the sun deck, since startled tourists are not exactly part of the safety plan.

Crime in Waikīkī has declined in recent years, but officials say the area is being used as a pilot site to see whether visible drone patrols can further improve safety and support tourism.

Faster Response, Louder Drones, Bigger Questions

Supporters say the drones could deter crime simply by being visible. The Skydio X10s will be equipped with two way speakers, allowing pilots to announce that officers are on the way. Few things discourage bad decisions faster than a calm voice from above explaining that help is already inbound.

The live video feed can also help officers prepare to de escalate situations by showing how many people are present, whether weapons are visible, and who appears to be involved, long before anyone steps out of a patrol car.

Still, privacy concerns are already surfacing. Waikīkī is packed with high rise hotels and condos, and some residents worry about drones accidentally or intentionally peering into private spaces.

Jacob Wiencek, a member of the Waikīkī Neighborhood Board public safety committee, said the idea of drones buzzing around dense residential areas raises civil liberties questions, even if the drones are meant to monitor public space.

Lawmakers in Hawaiʻi have debated police drone limits for nearly a decade. More recently, a 2024 fireworks enforcement law allowed video recorded by police drones to be used to establish probable cause, as long as the activity occurred in public space.

During New Year’s Eve enforcement, drones helped identify properties where illegal fireworks were launched, even when the individual responsible could not be clearly identified.

Lambert confirmed that the Skydio X10 drones are technically capable of facial recognition, though he said that feature has not been activated due to its controversial nature.

DroneXL’s Take

Using Skydio X10 drones as first responders in Waikīkī makes sense from a technology and staffing perspective. Faster situational awareness can reduce risk for officers and the public, and real time aerial views have already proven their value in other cities.

At the same time, programs like this only work if transparency keeps pace with capability. When drones become part of everyday policing, clear rules about when they fly, what they record, and how footage is used matter just as much as battery life and camera resolution.

Waikīkī may soon find itself patrolled not just by officers on foot, but by quiet electric observers overhead. Whether that feels reassuring or intrusive will depend on how openly the program is run, and how carefully those Skydio X10s are kept focused on public safety rather than public suspicion.

Photo credit: Kevin Fujii / Civil Beat