Police Drones
Police Drones: Discover how drones are being used by police forces. Stay updated on the latest news and developments in law enforcement drone technology.
Suspect Shoots at Police Drone in Lee’s Summit Chase
A late night drone operation helped Lee’s Summit Police catch a suspected car prowler who fired at the aircraft before running through several backyards. According to KCTV, the incident happened on Nov. 30 in the area of Applewood and NE…
Miami PD drone catches suspect on camera in fast response
A recent incident in Miami shows once again how drones are changing police work in the United States. As reported by Local10 News, on Nov. 11, Miami officers used a drone to track and apprehend a suspect in a domestic…
FBI Seeks AI-Powered Surveillance Drones With Facial Recognition As Police Departments Rapidly Expand Warrantless Aerial Monitoring
The FBI is actively seeking to equip surveillance drones with artificial intelligence capabilities including facial recognition, license plate readers, and weapon detection systems, according to federal procurement documents published by The Intercept Thursday. The move comes as approximately 1,500 US…
French Startup Rift Raises €4.6M For ‘Surveillance-as-a-Service’ Drones That Cost 10x Less Than Helicopters
French deep-tech startup Rift has secured €4.6 million ($4.9 million USD) to build Europe’s first fully autonomous aerial surveillance network, promising 24/7 border monitoring and critical infrastructure protection at a fraction of traditional helicopter costs. The funding round includes €3…
Madison Police Use Drone To Catch Fleeing Suspect
Madison Police used a drone early Friday morning to locate a suspect who ran from officers on the city’s south side. The incident began around 12:20 a.m. when a resident in the 1900 block of Axel Avenue reported someone walking…
From DJI to Skydio: Sedgwick County PD Upgrade Their Drone Fleet
The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office just made a big move, as KWCH reports. They’ve replaced their longtime DJI drones with the new Skydio X10s, marking a major shift in how U.S. law enforcement is using drones. This isn’t just a…
Syracuse Police Drone Program Stalled Again As Lawmakers Withdraw Approval For Fourth Time In 2025
Syracuse lawmakers have once again grounded the city’s controversial drone-as-first-responder program, marking the fourth time in 2025 that city councilors have delayed approval of software needed to launch autonomous police drones that would respond to 911 calls. Councilor Chol Majok…
Rochester Police Gets $8M For Surveillance Drones And Cameras To Monitor Protests—Part Of Hochul’s $127M Statewide Push
New York Governor Kathy Hochul is investing $127 million in law enforcement surveillance technology across the state, with Monroe County receiving $24 million—the largest share of any county. Rochester Police Department plans to use $8 million of its allocation to…
London Police Launch Drone-as-First-Responder Program with 2-Minute Response Times
London’s Metropolitan Police have begun deploying remotely-operated drones to emergency calls, with the unmanned aircraft reaching crime scenes within two minutes to stream live footage to responding officers. The trial program, known as “Drone as First Responder,” launched in the…
California Police Department Withdraws Drone Research Proposal After Community Backlash
The Eureka Police Department pulled a proposal Monday that would have allowed the agency to begin researching a drone program, following organized opposition from privacy activists who mobilized community members ahead of Tuesday’s city council meeting. The withdrawal highlights how…
AI-Powered Police Drones Reach 1,500 US Departments As Landmark Privacy Lawsuit Tests Legal Limits
Police and sheriff’s departments across America have rapidly embraced AI-powered drones for everything from pursuits and investigations to emergency response, with approximately 1,500 agencies now operating drone programs by late 2024—a 150% increase since 2018. But as departments deploy increasingly…
Drone at 75 Feet Near San Diego Airport Runway Sparks Confusion: Police or Unauthorized?
A drone hovering at just 75 feet near San Diego International Airport’s active runway created a dangerous close call with incoming passenger aircraft in late August, with air traffic control recordings revealing confusion about whether the aircraft was authorized police…