The police and fire departments of Fremont, California have just added a powerful new asset to their crime fighting arsenal:  a “first-responder” drone that can arrive at prospective crime and accidents scenes ahead of field officers to provide them with real-time situational intelligence via live streaming video, even in the dark.

The drone first-responder program, dubbed DFR, is not unique to Fremont.  So far, some two dozen cities nationwide, most of them in California, have adopted it with impressive results.  Thanks to DFR, police and fire departments can respond to 911 calls and missing persons reports within minutes.  Once in the air, the hovering drones, equipped with zoom and thermal imaging cameras, can track persons on the ground and alert arriving responders to potential hazards, allowing them to adjust their field tactics and force requirements accordingly.

Studies show that DFR programs allow responders to close their 911 calls faster and to reduce unnecessary over-deployments of field personnel.  Properly prepped police officers can reduce their use of force, de-escalate violent encounters and free hostages and find lost and missing persons more quickly.  As an added benefit, DFR drones can replace road vehicles and helicopters, reducing the responders’ carbon footprint.

SkyFire, a drone services company based in Marietta, GA, is widely credited with getting the DFR program off the ground through a partnership with the Chula Vista Police Department back in 2019.  In its original incarnation,  the program routed incoming 911 calls to a special incident room that would then signal trained drone pilots to launch one or more drones to the scene.  Typically the drones were launched from the police station’s rooftop and remotely piloted using GPS.  More recently, police departments have stationed drones at widely dispersed strategic locations – usually tall office buildings – to allow for an even faster tactical response.

The Fremont program is somewhat unique because it represents a joint venture between the city’s police and fire departments working closely together.  In addition, the program includes a partnership with Washington Hospital Healthcare System (WHHS), which hopes to use the DFR drones to expedite the transportation of accident scene victims and others in need of emergency medical care.

Officials with the Fremont police and fire departments first tested the program back in November 2022.  Based on past incident data, the drones are now strategically positioned atop several office buildings in high-crime areas that are also located at a distance from possible obstacles that might impede drone flights. In addition, one rooftop station is located at a building on Mowry Avenue, close to WHHS headquarters.

“Skyfire is honored to support Fremont in launching this historic DFR program,” says Matt Sloane, Skyfire founder and CEO. “Our team’s deep experience and commitment to public safety were instrumental in bringing this program to life, and we are confident it will serve the Fremont community well.”

Founded in 2014, Skyfire is a world renowned leader in public safety drone technology.  The company offers drone services in a variety of aerial surveillance niches, including infrastructure inspections as well as emergency response.  Its DFR program is billed as a turnkey solution, which provides local responders with all the information, training, hardware and strategic planning and administrative support they need to go airborne.

Sloane is also a key figure and spokesman in the burgeoning drone industry.  He currently serves on the National Fire Protection Association’s committee on drones and is a member of the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International’s Air Advocacy Committee.