LAPD Expands Drone Program With $2.1M Boost

The Los Angeles Police Department is preparing to significantly expand its Drone as First Responder program after receiving approval for a $2.1 million donation from the Los Angeles Police Foundation, according to CBS News.

The Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners voted unanimously to accept the funding, although final approval now rests with the LA City Council.

If approved, the money, combined with a separate $1.8 million retail theft grant, will fund a three year contract with Skydio for drones, docking stations, warranty coverage, and service support.

For DJI watchers, this is another example of a major U.S. law enforcement agency doubling down on an American drone manufacturer.

23 Docking Stations Across Los Angeles

The expansion plan calls for 23 rooftop drone docking stations spread across eight LAPD divisions and several high profile commercial centers.\

Here’s how the docking stations would be distributed:

• LAPD Headquarters: 3
• Northeast: 2
• Hollywood: 2
• Olympic: 2
• Wilshire: 2
• West Los Angeles: 2
• Topanga: 2
• Devonshire: 2

Additional commercial locations include:

• Palisades Village: 1
• The Grove: 2
• Vineyards Porter Ranch: 2
• Avenue of the Stars in Century City: 2

Each rooftop unit would allow drones to operate within a two to three mile radius. The department also plans to purchase two mobile drones that can be launched from anywhere in the city.

Skydio drones selected for the program are equipped with standard video cameras and thermal imaging, feeding live data directly to officers responding to incidents.

The goal is simple. Get eyes on scene before boots hit pavement.

1,779 Flights and Growing

The LAPD began testing its Drone as First Responder concept in 2024 and expanded it to five locations by late 2025. The numbers show rapid operational growth.

The donation and a$1.8 million retail theft grant will cover a three-year contract with Skydio Inc. for equipment, warranty coverage and service, according to Assistant Chief Emada Tingirides.

Tingirides leads the Office of Operations, which oversees the drone initiative. Her team launched the program in June 2025, which uses drones to scout locations as officers respond to the scene. The department said it provides real-time information to assess the situation and the surrounding area before they arrive. 

Since July 2025, the department has logged 1,779 drone flights. That averages 23 deployments per day.

In 754 incidents, drones were first on scene before officers arrived. In 135 cases, calls for service were resolved without requiring officers to make direct contact.

Drones were also deployed during the 2025 World Series and championship parade, showing the department’s willingness to use the technology for large scale public events.

LAPD leadership argues the system improves response times, enhances officer safety, and supports de escalation efforts. The department also launched a public website that logs every drone deployment, including flight paths, in an effort to increase transparency.

Critics remain concerned. Privacy advocates argue that expanding drone coverage across shopping centers and neighborhoods increases the risk of routine aerial surveillance.

The department says integration with its real time crime center will further streamline operations.

DroneXL’s Take

This is not a pilot anymore. It is infrastructure.

Twenty three docking stations mean persistent aerial availability in one of the largest cities in America. The transparency website is a smart move, but the real story here is scale.

For Skydio, this is another strategic win in domestic public safety. For DJI, it is another reminder that U.S. agencies are steadily building ecosystems around American platforms.

The bigger question is not whether drones will become standard tools for police departments. That shift is already happening.

The real question is how cities balance speed, safety, and civil liberties once the sky becomes part of everyday policing.

Photo credit: Skydio