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Brooklyn Park, Minnesota’s City Council unanimously approved a $4.6 million expansion of its police technology contract to implement a Drone as First Responder program, bringing the department’s total 10-year agreement with Axon Enterprise to $12.4 million. The November 10 vote positions the Minneapolis suburb as the latest American city replacing Chinese-made drones with U.S. alternatives…
University of Minnesota researchers successfully completed their 11th field trial of autonomous AI-powered drone swarms that analyze wildfire smoke patterns in three dimensions, marking a significant step toward deploying academic research for real-world emergency response as climate change intensifies fire seasons nationwide. On October 24, graduate student Nikil Krishnakumar stood on a 30-acre p
An ambitious "Drone as a First Responder" (DFR) Minnetonka program, a system designed to give police departments an immediate eye in the sky
Drones proved instrumental in a high-stakes manhunt in Minnesota, helping law enforcement capture a suspect after a two-day search involving over 100 officers. The New York Times reported that Vance Boelter, 57, was apprehended late Sunday night, June 15, 2025, in a field near Green Isle, Minnesota, after a massive operation that spanned roughly 1…
John Deere announced its acquisition of Sentera, a leader in drone-based remote imagery solutions based in St. Paul, Minnesota, on May 23rd, 2025, marking a significant step in advancing precision agriculture. This move integrates Sentera’s high-resolution drone technology into John Deere’s ecosystem, empowering farmers with data-driven tools to enhance crop management, efficiency, and sustainabil
Multiple drones were observed flying near the Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant in Minnesota, prompting responses from local law enforcement
Alabama’s Department of Transportation (ALDOT) has launched a formal drone program that signals the growing maturation of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) deployment across state transportation agencies. The initiative, which places dedicated personnel in charge of drone operations, represents a shift from experimental projects to systematic integration of UAS technology into core infrastructure mana
A drone played a crucial role in locating two lost hikers in a remote area of Bear Head Lake State Park, Minnesota, on Saturday evening. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office reported that the hikers, who were unfamiliar with the park, found themselves in a precarious situation as night approached. The Rescue Operation The incident…
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