The Clovis Police Drone Program is setting a new standard for public safety in Clovis, California. Situated just northeast of Fresno in the San Joaquin Valley, the city is a rapidly growing community with over 120,000 residents spread across 23 square miles. Known for its family-oriented neighborhoods, the city maintains a reputation as one of the safest in the region. Public safety is overseen by the Clovis Police Department (CPD), a full-service agency with about 200 employees, including 105 sworn officers, led by Chief Curt Fleming. The department has built a reputation for adopting innovative strategies to meet the needs of a steadily expanding population.
Following the example of other law enforcement agencies such as the Chula Vista Police Department, the Clovis Police Drone Program began with a modest DJI Mini before expanding to more advanced models like the Skydio X2E and an Axon tethered drone system. According to CPD Public Information Officer Lieutenant Jim Munro, it was not long before the department came to rely on a growing fleet of drones for day-to-day operations.
Skydio X2 is one of the drones Clovis Police drone program use
Expanding the Clovis Police Drone Program
Within a few years, CPD had assembled a fleet of 22 drones, each operated by specially trained and licensed pilots within the department. The program demonstrated how aerial assets could help officers fully embrace modern policing practices. Still, as Lieutenant Munro explained,
“Drones are like iPhones. As soon as you get one, a new one arrives with new technology.”
That constant cycle of improvement has kept the department looking for new ways to push the boundaries of public safety tools. Most recently, CPD announced plans to launch its latest advancement in drone technology designed specifically for law enforcement.
Drone as First Responder: How the Program Works
The department’s newest initiative, a Drone as First Responders (DFR) program, marks a significant evolution in how aerial tools are used in policing. The system currently consists of two drones operated remotely out of a newly created Real Time Information Center. These drones will be pre-positioned in specially designed docking stations placed at strategic points across the city. With two launch locations covering nearly all of Clovis, officers can receive aerial support in a matter of minutes, far faster than most patrol cars can reach a call. As a cornerstone of the Clovis Police Drone Program, this DFR model focuses on speed, awareness, and safety.
A DFR program is built on the idea of immediacy. Drones are kept ready to deploy the moment an emergency call comes in, often taking flight before ground units begin moving. Once airborne, the aircraft transmits real-time video and data back to the command center, giving officers and supervisors an early and detailed look at unfolding events. This advance knowledge can guide tactical decisions, confirm whether additional resources are necessary, and reduce the likelihood that force will be used unnecessarily.
Inside the Real Time Information Center
In Clovis, when a dispatch is received, the operator in the Real Time Information Center can launch a drone either automatically or manually, depending on the urgency of the call. From about 200 feet in the air, the drones can capture live video, scan license plates, and relay suspect descriptions that provide valuable context before officers arrive.
“We’re providing our officers with real information that’s going on,” Chief Fleming said, “potentially saving us from having to escalate or use force that we don’t need to use.”
The Real Time Information Center is central to this effort. Staffed by analysts, dispatchers, and drone pilots, the center manages incoming calls, oversees the drones, and coordinates responses with officers in the field. By funneling live drone footage directly into the department’s broader system, the center allows for faster communication and more efficient deployment of resources across the Clovis Police Drone Program.
Looking Ahead: BVLOS and the Next Chapter
Clovis is not alone in this approach. Police departments across the country are beginning to adopt similar systems as technology improves and as regulators move closer to approving Beyond Visual Line Of Sight operations. The ability to fly drones beyond what the pilot can see will increase the usefulness of programs like Clovis’s, allowing drones to cover greater distances and respond to a wider range of emergencies. Learn more about UAS integration at the FAA’s UAS portal.
For Lieutenant Munro, this future has been years in the making. “In the future, we want to be proactive to where, as soon as that call is dispatched, we can dispatch a drone off the top of a roof,” he once said. “Then, someone can control it and get instant air support over the top, and that’ll save resources. It will be safer.” With the launch of its DFR program, Clovis Police have turned that vision into reality. For the department and a growing number of agencies nationwide, the future of drone applications in policing has already arrived through the Clovis Police Drone Program.
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