Amazon Drone Deals: DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo with DJI RC2 now for $1,099!
Drone as First Responder
FDNY Drone Saves Life In East River Rescue, Dropping Buoys To Mark Drowning Victim
An FDNY drone successfully rescued a person from the East River on Saturday, using cutting-edge technology to drop flotation markers that guided emergency crews to a drowning victim near the Queensboro Bridge. The life-saving operation demonstrates the tangible value of…
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…
Florida Senator Pushes Emergency DJI Ban, New Drone Payload Restrains Suspects, and Georgia Prison Smuggling Arrests
Welcome to your weekly UAS news update. In my latest video, we have three stories for you this week. A Florida senator is pushing for an emergency retroactive ban on certain DJI and Autel drones. Not good. And then we…
Merrimac Police Drone Locates Missing 8-Year-Old in Massachusetts Woods Within an Hour
An 8-year-old boy who walked away from his home in Merrimac, Massachusetts, was safely located within 72 minutes Thursday morning thanks to the department’s Drone Unit. Officer William David operated the drone that spotted the child in a wooded area…
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…
Beyond Obstacle Avoidance: What First Responders Must Know About Drone Operations Over People
Public safety agencies nationwide are rapidly adopting drones for crowd monitoring, emergency response, and situational awareness. These platforms provide valuable real-time intelligence that can improve officer safety and operational effectiveness. However, as drone operations over people become routine, agencies must…
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…
Amazon Resumes Flights After Dual Crane Crashes, Flock Launches Private Security Drones, Phase One Unveils 247MP Camera
Welcome to your weekly UAS news update. We have three stories for you this week that every drone pilot needs to know about. Amazon is resuming operations after two of their drones crashed into a crane, Flock Safety is launching…
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…
Hingham Police Drone Helps Catch Teen Suspect in 60-Car Break-In Spree
A police drone helped Hingham, Massachusetts officers track down and arrest a 17-year-old suspect who allegedly broke into approximately 60 unlocked vehicles in a single night. The aerial deployment, coordinated with K-9 units and neighboring Norwell Police, demonstrates how suburban…
Flock Safety Launches Aerodome DAS: Enterprise Drone Security for Critical Infrastructure
Flock Safety has officially brought its law enforcement-proven drone technology to the private sector with the September 25 launch of Flock Aerodome Drone as Automated Security (DAS), a turnkey automated drone system designed to protect airports, warehouses, healthcare campuses, and…
Police Drones May Soon Scan License Plates From the Sky
A disturbing new report from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has revealed the next frontier in police surveillance: drones equipped with automated license plate readers (ALPRs). Tech companies like Flock Safety are actively developing and pitching these systems to law…
