Savannah Police to Spend $54K on BRINC Drones

Seven years after first deploying drones, the Savannah Police Department is moving to modernize its aerial fleet, replacing three aging UAVs with new models that cost roughly $54,000 each, as Savannah Now reports.

The twist is that the department is moving away from DJI equipment and toward BRINC drones, a U.S. manufacturer that focuses on law enforcement and public safety.

Assistant Police Chief Robert Gavin said the department’s current three drones have reached end of life after years of service. The replacements are part of a broader push to weave more technology into daily policing operations.

From Crash Scenes to St. Patrick’s Day

SPD drones are already a familiar sight over Savannah. They are used during special operations, missing person cases, traffic investigations, SWAT deployments, and large public events like St. Patrick’s Day celebrations and city parades.

On January 21, the Traffic Investigations Unit used a drone while assisting the Georgia State Patrol in reconstructing a fatal head on collision on Abercorn Street.

Before drones, officers relied on a total station device to map scenes, a process that could stretch for hours depending on complexity. Now, officers can capture aerial imagery in minutes by flying directly overhead.

Drones are also deployed in wooded or hard to reach terrain during missing person searches. Using preprogrammed grid patterns, they can scan areas that would otherwise require large teams on foot. Thermal and infrared sensors help detect heat signatures that might be invisible to the naked eye.

According to Gavin, this real time view helps officers understand what they are driving into and determine what resources are needed before arriving on scene.

$54,000 Per Drone and Security Concerns

Each new BRINC drone will cost about $54,000. Funding comes from a mix of budgeted dollars and condemned funds obtained through asset seizures. SPD has ordered one of the three planned units, with delivery expected in roughly 60 to 90 days depending on procurement timelines and demand.

Security concerns played a role in the switch. Some federal agencies have warned law enforcement about potential risks tied to overseas manufactured drones, including hacking and data vulnerabilities. As a result, SPD opted for American made systems marketed specifically to law enforcement.

The BRINC platforms will include high resolution cameras, thermal imaging, infrared capabilities, and automated flight functions. Some models can return to a designated landing pad automatically and even deploy directly from patrol vehicles, aligning with SPD’s long term goal of integrating drones into a real time crime center model.

Footage is not automatically saved. Officers decide whether to retain video for evidentiary purposes. Saved files are uploaded to Axon’s digital evidence management system, the same platform used for body worn camera footage. If footage is not marked for retention, it is typically deleted after about 14 days.

A Costly Tradeoff

While the department frames the move as a security driven upgrade, the shift from DJI to BRINC is likely to raise eyebrows in the drone community.

DJI platforms have long dominated public safety due to their reliability, sensor quality, and cost efficiency. BRINC, on the other hand, markets heavily to law enforcement with ruggedized systems and niche features like indoor tactical deployment and two way communication payloads.

The question is whether Savannah is gaining capability or simply paying a premium for compliance and optics. At $54,000 per aircraft, these are not casual purchases. They are flying investments.

DroneXL’s Take

Savannah’s move reflects a broader national trend. Law enforcement agencies are drifting away from DJI, not necessarily because of performance gaps, but because of political pressure and procurement policies. BRINC builds purpose driven tools for police work, especially in tactical scenarios, but they often come at a higher price and with fewer ecosystem advantages compared to DJI’s mature platforms.

For taxpayers, the real test will not be the logo on the drone. It will be response times reduced, cases solved faster, and measurable improvements in public safety. In the sky, branding means little. Results mean everything.

Photo credit: BRINC, Savannah Now.