The Federal Bureau of Investigation recorded 79,091 assaults on law enforcement officers in 2023 — the highest number recorded in 10 years — most of which occurred when responding to assaults on civilians. To reduce this number, agencies and police departments need solutions that minimize the risk to officers’ safety. 

That’s where public safety drones come in. They have become an essential tool for law enforcement, providing aerial vantage points during calls. This enhances officers’ situational awareness, facilitating better crime response plans and safety. 

Here, we look at the role of public safety drones in the next frontier of policing. 

The role of drones in modern policing

Drones have transitioned from experimental tech to a standard tool in many police departments. They give officers an aerial view of situations, helping them make informed decisions in high-risk scenarios, such as cases involving armed offenders. For example, they can help SWAT teams clear buildings before sending officers in, improving operational efficiency and safety. 

Drones are also valuable in crime scene assessments and evidence collection, helping law enforcement build strong cases. They can, for instance, take imagery from car accident scenes to help officers build 3D models. 

Drone as first responder (DFR), Flock Aerodome’s specialization, can help law enforcement immediately respond to 911 calls, license plate reader (LPR) hits, gunshot detections, and other alerts. 

The drone gets to incidents quickly, giving critical information to officers on the ground before they arrive. This can help clear calls for service quicker (saving time) or de-escalate situations (increasing safety).

However, while drones are valuable, especially in high-risk and emergency situations, law enforcement agencies must navigate legal, ethical, and community concerns regarding their use. To ease these concerns, you need to use these aircraft responsibly and maintain transparency with the public. 

Key applications of public safety drones

Some people worry that law enforcement officers use drones to patrol and search for crimes. Others believe the aircrafts infringe on their Fourth Amendment rights by facilitating unlawful searches. 

However, this is not the case. Drones, particularly with DFR, help officers respond to emergencies quicker and keep communities safe. They offer a wide variety of use cases, including:

Crime scene documentation and evidence collection

Drones help collect and preserve evidence by capturing aerial images and videos of crime scenes. Later, this allows law enforcement officers to reconstruct crime scenes, facilitating stronger cases. The images and videos can also give jurors a clearer view of crime scenes during court cases, helping them reach well-informed verdicts. 

While ground-based photography is also helpful, it’s more time-consuming and may miss vital details in a crime scene. Drones provide faster, more comprehensive documentation, which can streamline the case-building process.   

Search and rescue operations

Drones can cover large areas more efficiently than responders on foot, aiding search and rescue efforts for missing persons or disaster victims. When equipped with thermal imaging and night vision, the aircraft can also enhance visibility in low-light or hard-to-access areas, boosting the chances of successful rescue operations. 

In addition, they can improve response times in critical situations by showing responders on foot what to expect before they arrive at rescue sites. This may come in handy when officers are in cars and stuck in traffic, as they can create a game plan while on the move. 

Traffic and crowd monitoring

If improperly managed, large events, protests, and traffic incidents can be breeding grounds for crimes like smash and grabs. Drones can lower the risk of such occurrences by providing a real-time aerial perspective of incident areas to support public safety operations. 

Through the footage, law enforcement can identify congestion points and track vehicle movement, allowing for well-informed deployment decisions. For example, officers could be dispatched to high-traffic areas to help move things along.    

Drones can also help officers apprehend individuals who participate in criminal activities during such situations. Flock Aerodome, for example, integrates with Flock Safety’s LPR network to help DFR pilots locate suspects’ vehicles for effective monitoring and apprehension. 

Tactical support for SWAT or emergency response

One of the greatest risks to law enforcement officers’ safety is walking into situations where they don’t have a clear visual. 

Drones can minimize this risk by entering dangerous scenes first and providing overhead views to let officers know what to expect. This is especially helpful in SWAT operations and hostage situations, as they can show teams where offenders and civilians are before they make contact. 

Drones can also help enhance perimeter security in restricted areas and track suspect movement during active incidents like robberies. 

Identifying and tracking suspects

Drones assist in tracking fleeing suspects by providing real-time updates on their location. Unlike officers on the ground, they are not affected by issues like traffic and can, therefore, enhance foot pursuits and car chases by following offenders when officers are unable to. 

They can also promote effective multi-agency responses by providing reliable incident videos — different teams can all access the same drone footage to help identify and track offenders. 

Flock Aerodome can automatically deploy in response to alerts from Flock Safety’s LPR network and Gunshot Detection, getting to incidents quicker than officers on the ground. This increases the likelihood of finding suspects at the crime scene and ultimately apprehending them. 

Challenges and considerations for adopting drones in law enforcement

Drone adoption in law enforcement isn’t without challenges. Some of the things you may have to deal with include:

• Poor public perception: You may face some pushback from the public because of privacy concerns. To make sure this isn’t a problem, prioritize transparency and responsible drone use — let people know you use drones and follow necessary legal procedures to protect individuals’ civil liberties.
• Budget constraints: The cost of acquiring drones and training officers on drone operations can deter police departments facing budget constraints. If this is a concern for you, consider applying for law enforcement grants to offset the costs. The DRONE Act of 2025 may open up several opportunities.
• Compliance risks: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) oversees all airspace in the U.S., and even law enforcement must comply with their regulations before deploying any unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). You’ll also have to register your drones with the FAA and get certified. 
• Internal limitations: Some agencies may simply be slower to adopt new technology. If that’s the case, present the value of emergency response drones in improving policing and officer safety to decision-makers. 

If your department gets the go-ahead to implement a DFR program, ensure proper training and integration into existing workflows to maximize the benefits of these devices. Also, develop clear department policies on when and how to use the aircraft, taking FAA regulations and the public’s concerns into account. 

Advantages of public safety drones for law enforcement agencies

Drones are a worthwhile investment for any law enforcement or public safety agency because they:

• Improve operational decision-making: They provide real-time, high-resolution aerial views of crime scenes, helping officers make well-informed decisions when responding. For example, through a drone, the Oklahoma Police Department was able to see a suspect reaching for an AR-15 during a standoff, allowing for quick response.
• Reduce direct exposure to high-risk situations: Drones can enter dangerous environments and give officers remote real-time footage. For instance, they can reveal suspects’ positions in hostage situations to help officers determine suitable entry points. 
• Speed up searches: Drones can cover large or difficult-to-reach areas to aid rescue operations and disaster response.
• Save departments a lot of money: Drones are cheaper than alternative solutions like helicopters. A helicopter program would require the aircraft itself, a pilot, ongoing maintenance, training, and camera systems, adding up to millions of dollars per year. 
• Enhance departments’ sustainability efforts: Drones are a more sustainable alternative to helicopters as well. Helicopters produce a lot of noise, which disrupts communities, and emit pollutants like carbon dioxide (CO2), which are bad for the environment. 
• Promote more proactive policing: When integrated with LPR systems, drones can provide real-time imagery and videos of suspects’ vehicles, potentially facilitating apprehensions before they participate in other criminal activities. 

Flock Aerodome offers advanced drone technology designed specifically for law enforcement. It’s a fully automated system that integrates with Flock Safety’s LPR cameras and Gunshot Detection, promoting quick responses and proactive policing. 

Explore Flock Aerodome today to reduce response times and enhance officers’ situational awareness. 

How Flock Aerodome enhances law enforcement drone programs

Flock Aerodome’s flight software is a top choice for law enforcement agencies. Designed by a leading game designer, the software is intuitive — built to use with only a keyboard and a mouse — and automated, making its operation relatively straightforward. It also features on-screen callouts using augmented reality, enhancing DFR pilots’ situational awareness and decision-making processes. 

Further, Flock Safety’s drones have superior battery life, and battery-swapping docks allow longer flight times and minimize downtime. They also have zoom capabilities for better crime scene views and can fly higher (up to 400 feet) and faster than other drones.  

The power of combining LPR and drone security

Flock Aerodome works alongside our LPR systems, immediately responding to LPR alerts. This enables you to track suspect vehicles in real time and provide valuable aerial footage to teams on the ground, creating a more connected policing strategy.  

It also facilitates proactive policing by increasing the chances of apprehending suspects before they commit other crimes. LPR cameras identify known offenders’ vehicles and send alerts to your drones, which then follow the cars and provide real-time updates of their movements to support rapid apprehension. 

Elevate your policing strategy with Flock Safety’s License Plate Readers and DFR technology. 

Creating a connected, data-driven policing strategy

Flock Aerodome supports multi-agency collaboration by providing live aerial views and automated alerts. This ensures that officers from any agency or department you’re collaborating with have real-time views of crime scenes or suspects’ movements. 

Say you get an LPR alert for a suspect’s vehicle, and your drone follows them to another town. You can share the aerial videos with the nearest law enforcement officers to improve crime response times and increase the chances of apprehension.    

Are public safety drones right for your agency?

Public safety drones are valuable assets for law enforcement. They provide real-time crime scene imagery and videos, improve officer safety, and enhance response times and capabilities. However, it’s important to consider budget, training, and legal factors before adopting drone programs. 

With Flock Safety, you can quickly get your drone program up and running. We offer a full unmanned aerial system (UAS) solution with all the hardware, software, and services you need to roll out your program. Our drones also integrate with other Flock Safety products, like our LPR cameras and Gunshot Detection systems, facilitating more connected policing. 

Book a demo today to see how Flock Safety’s Aerodome can enhance your policing strategy!