How Flock Aerodome Is Reinventing Public Safety From the Sky

When Rahul Sidhu was patrolling the streets as a police officer, he wasn’t just enforcing the law. He was envisioning a better way to do it. Years later, that vision has taken flight, literally.

Sidhu, now Vice President of Aviation at Flock Safety, is leading the charge in Drone as First Responder (DFR) technology. With a deep background in public safety and tech entrepreneurship, he’s built and deployed tools that transform how cities respond to crime. His recent appearance on the Flock Safety podcast, hosted by Jamie Hudson and Dalton Webb, offered an inside look at how he went from beat cop to drone pioneer—and what that means for agencies everywhere.

From the Streets to the Skies

Before joining Flock Safety, Sidhu founded Aerodome, a DFR platform born from necessity. As a reserve officer in Redondo Beach, CA, he personally launched a DFR program in 2020. It was one of the first in the country. Frustrated by the limitations of existing tech and the manpower drain from rooftop-based drone deployments, he built a better system. His goal? Maximize drone coverage, minimize personnel burden, and design an intuitive, scalable system from the operator’s perspective.

“I wanted the Call of Duty generation to be able to fly a drone in 90 seconds,” Sidhu explained. “If it feels like a video game, people will adopt it faster—and use it better.”

Why 400 Feet Isn’t Just Better, It’s Physics

A major part of the Flock Aerodome philosophy is simple: fly smarter. Sidhu broke down why flying at 400 feet above ground level (AGL) isn’t just a regulatory threshold; it’s a performance enhancer.

• Visibility: At 400 ft, drones can see 4x more area than at 200 ft.
  
• Noise: Thanks to the laws of acoustics, drones at 400 ft are about 25% as loud as those at 200 ft.
  
• Privacy: Higher flights reduce the sense of intrusion for the public, decreasing complaints. Some vendors argue for flying lower due to technical limitations—but as Sidhu noted, “You can’t argue against physics.”

DFR 1.0, 2.0, and Now: 3.0

The podcast dove into the evolution of DFR tech:

• DFR 1.0: People on rooftops, manual battery swaps, line-of-sight-only flights.
• DFR 2.0: Automated docks, BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) operations, centralized piloting.
• DFR 3.0: Mission autonomy. The drone not only flies itself. It makes decisions based on what it sees, integrates with CAD data, and uses AI to interpret the scene.

“Flight autonomy gets the drone in the air. Mission autonomy knows what to do once it’s there,” Sidhu said.

The Staffing and Cost Reality

Many agencies hesitate to scale DFR due to perceived cost or staffing hurdles. But Sidhu makes the ROI argument clear: one dedicated DFR pilot can clear 20–25% of calls for service. This frees up patrol officers, reducing response times, and even lowering crash liability by reducing Code 3 (lights and sirens) responses.

He also emphasized planning for success: if your trial works, do you have a roadmap to scale citywide? That means fewer docks with wider coverage, thanks to faster, longer-flying drones, and not needing 17 rooftops with 60+ boxes.

“With Flock, we cover 38 square miles per dock. That’s 4-5 docks for a major city, not 60,” he explained.

What DFR Changes About RTCCs

As real-time crime centers evolve, Sidhu believes DFR is quickly climbing the list of must-haves. While ALPR remains a foundational tool for investigative and proactive policing, DFR’s ability to deliver live situational awareness within 85 seconds of a 911 call creates new opportunities.

Flock’s DFR platform integrates with Flock 911, CAD systems, and real-time alerts. This allows agencies to respond not just faster, but smarter.

“You’re not waiting for dispatch. You’re not waiting for CAD. The moment that call comes in, we’re already flying.”

Building the Future of Public Safety, One Flight at a Time

When asked what it takes to launch a successful DFR program, Sidhu pointed to three commitments:

1. Staff it seriously: Volunteers and overtime won’t sustain a real program.
2. Pick passionate leaders: Assigning someone isn’t enough. You have to find those who want to drive it.
3. Plan beyond the pilot: Know what success looks like and be ready to scale.

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As agencies weigh what tools to invest in for community safety, DFR continues to prove it’s more than just a flashy upgrade. With faster coverage, simpler operation, and measurable impact, it’s becoming an essential part of how modern policing works.

Want to learn more about Flock’s DFR platform or see it in action? Book a demo. 

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