Police Drones - Hardware, manufacturers, use cases, and software

How are police using Drones?

1. Drone as First Responder (DFR)

When a 911 or police-generated call for service occurs, a camera-equipped drone will launch from the police station and fly to the scene of the call. As the drone arrives at the scene, the drone live streams its camera, informing dispatch and responding officers of the scene before they arrive.

Improve police response times through more efficient use of police resources.

Provide real time information to responding officers to allow for better decision making.

Assist with de-escalation of incidents to enhance safety for both officers and the community.

Learn More About DFR

How are police using drones?

2. Incident Overwatch

Drones provide law enforcement with a vital tool to get eyes on scene. Drones reduce risk for officers and allow first responders to better understand and respond to the emergency scene.

The conventional method of deploying a crewed helicopter is expensive and not available for all agencies.

Drones can cover large or challenging environments easily, such as embankments or in tunnels.

Provide real time information to first responders to allow for better decision making.

U.S. Manufactured Hardware and Complete DFR SOlution Providers

Skydio and Brinc

These two companies make their own drone hardware, docking stations for automated DFR missions, and software for drone program management and DFR operations.

The benefit of going with Skydio or Brinc is that these companies make a completely integrated system. Instead of relying on a different manufacturer to make the hardware or software, these companies are able to really fine tune their complete solution. Think of it like the Apple approach, they make the hardware and software.

Software-Defined DFR Solutions

Flock Safety, DroneSense Motorola CAPE, Paladin

These companies focus on the software component of a DFR solution. They utilize DJI drone hardware as part of their DFR solutions. DJI drones are, by far, the most widely used in the industry due to their reliability and lower cost compared to other solutions on the market.

Having a program that is defined around DJI hardware does have its risks due to foreign security risks and potential U.S. government bans. Think of these companies taking the Microsoft approach, they make the software but not the hardware.

What are the market trends in police drones?

Explore the latest market trends in police drones, where advancements in technology, increasing demand for enhanced public safety, and evolving regulatory frameworks are driving innovation and shaping the future of law enforcement.

More Agencies are Purchasing Drones

The low price point, drone capabilities, ease of operation, and added safety are all contributing factors to why more agencies are adding drones to their departments.

Compared to hiring an additional officer for the police team, a drone has a lot of capabilities that can lighten the police team’s load at a lower cost

Drone as First Responder (DFR) Programs

Drones are being sent directly to the call for service while being piloted remotely at the police station. The drone records a livestream from its camera, providing dispatch and responding officers an understanding of the scene before they arrive.

Indoor Tactical Drones

There are a range of indoor tactical drones available: from off-the-shelf, small FPV drones from DJI to sophisticated two-way communication enabled drones from Brinc. These drones provide safety by giving officers an understanding of the environment before they go inside. Using these drones is becoming more common in standard operating procedures.

More Technology Integration into Law Enforcement

There is an overall trend within law enforcement of using more automated systems and new technologies. For example, traffic cameras, automated license plate readers (ALPR), and car and body-worn cameras are now routinely used.

Law enforcement sees the benefits of these, such as a real time crime center (RTCC) having a better understanding of a city and deploying resources more adequately. Another benefit is the provision of greater accountability with non-admissible evidence for traffic violations and crimes being captured in progress. Law enforcement is embracing these benefits, and they are embracing the benefits of drones more and more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to our FAQ section on police drones, where we address common questions and provide detailed information about the use, regulations, and benefits of drones in law enforcement.

What does a police drone look like?

For outdoor use, police and law enforcement are typically flying a DJI M30T, DJI Matrice 350 RTK, Skydio X2, or Skydio X10. There are other companies out there working on solutions but those are the most common drones on the market as of 2025 that police are using.

What brand of drones do police use?

Police typically use DJI drones as they are the largest manufacturer of drones in the world. Police commonly use the enterprise line of DJI drones such as the DJI Matrice 350 RTK, Mavic 3 Enterprise, and Matrice 30 Series of drones. There are new US-based drone manufactures that are starting to expand more into public safety, such as Skydio and Brinc.

Are drones used in law enforcement?

Not all agencies have drones but a good majority of police departments in the United States do have drones. They are typically used for incident overwatch, SWAT response, and search and rescue.

Do law enforcement drones have lights?

Law enforcement drones are typically just DJI enterprise drones which means they have standard bright white strobe lights which are mandatory from the FAA. Just like consumer drones, they have red lights in the front and green lights in the back. This makes it easy to tell which direction the drone is facing compared to the pilot. Newer models of drones, such as ones from Skydio (the X10) and Brinc (the Responder), do have customizable red and blue strobe lights to further indicate that it is a police drone.

How do you tell if a drone is a police drone?

The drones that police use are typically the DJI enterprise line of drones. These drones are not just used for law enforcement though; these drones can be seen in the field for oil and gas, electric utility, and geospatial applications. The enterprise-grade drones typically have more advanced cameras, longer flight times, and also come with a higher price tag. Typical police drones include DJI Matrice 350 RTK, DJI M30T, Skydio X10, and Brinc Lemur 2.

How long can a police drone stay in the air?

This is really dependent on various factors such as drone model and operating conditions. The Skydio X10 has a max flight time of 40 minutes. The DJI M30T has a max flight time of 41 minutes. The Brinc Lemur 2 indoor tactical drone has a max flight time of 20 minutes.

The Latest Police Drone Information

1. Drone as First Responder (DFR)

2. Incident Overwatch

3. Crime and Accident Scene Mapping

4. Search and Rescue (SAR)

5. Tactical Response

Police Drone Manufactures