First Responders

Police, fire, and search-and-rescue teams putting drones to work when minutes matter.

1,521

Articles

112

Beats covered

Reporters on beat

Aug 18

Last updated

Rescue drone reaching stranded hikers near Loveland Pass in Colorado

Search & Rescue

Colorado Rescue Drone Talks Hikers Through A Lightning Storm

A camera-and-speaker drone reached two stranded hikers near Loveland Pass before ground rescuers could, guiding them through a lightning storm.

Rafael SuárezJul 31

Coffee with the Mayor and drone presentation flyer for August 1 in Santa Ana

Santa Ana DFR

Santa Ana Mayor Will Demo Police Drones Over Coffee on August 1

Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua and police will host a free public demonstration of the city's new Drone as First Responder program on August 1, with privacy and oversight questions still following its 4-3 approval.

Rafael SuárezJul 30

Detroit City Council President James Tate

Detroit DFR

Detroit Police Drone Grant Went To Washington Without City Council Approval

Detroit filed a $2.2 million DOJ grant application for a police drone as first responder program without City Council approval. Six members voted no, the city may withdraw it, and DPD still has no approved drone policy.

Haye KestelooJul 30

Escaped black Angus bull moving through thick kudzu in Iredell County, North Carolina

DJI Avata 2

DJI Avata 2 Guides Escaped Angus Bull Out of I-40 Ravine

A DJI Avata 2 helped Foothills Aerial Services guide an escaped Angus bull out of a kudzu-covered ravine near Interstate 40 in Iredell County, North Carolina.

Rafael SuárezJul 30

Campus Guardian Angel drone hovers in a school hallway during an active shooter response demonstration

School Safety

Pepper-Spray School Drones Go Live In Nine Schools Across Three States

Mithril Defense's Campus Guardian Angel drones arrive in nine schools in Florida, Georgia, and Colorado this fall, and Florida has already approved year-two funding before a single real-world activation.

Haye KestelooJul 28

Paws Patrol LV thermal drone donation for animal rescue searches in Las Vegas

Search & Rescue

Paws Patrol LV Gets Two Thermal Drones After Sky Knockdown

A Montana hotel owner donated two thermal drones to Paws Patrol LV after people in a Las Vegas wash knocked the animal rescue group's $7,000 drone out of the sky during a search for an injured dog. The dog remains missing.

Rafael SuárezJul 28

NYPD drone view of subway surfers riding atop a moving B train in Brooklyn

Police Drones

NYPD Drone Tracks Subway Surfers, Five Teens Arrested

An NYPD drone spotted six people riding atop a moving B train in Brooklyn, tracked them from the air, and guided officers to arrest five teenagers. Police also recovered six stolen MTA keys from a 14-year-old suspect.

Rafael SuárezJul 27

Ocean County Sheriff's Office drone delivering a flotation device to a swimmer off Surf City, New Jersey

Search & Rescue

Ocean County Drone Reaches Swimmer After Lifeguards Left

An Ocean County sheriff's drone dropped a Restube flotation device to a young swimmer caught in a rip current off Surf City after lifeguards had gone home for the day.

Rafael SuárezJul 25

First Responders

The drone industry moves fast. Stay ahead of it.