As the county seat of Jefferson County, Birmingham is one of the most famous cities in the state of Alabama. With a population of 1,192,583, the Birmingham metropolitan area is the most populous in the state. Ensuring the safety of Birmingham’s communities spread throughout nearly 202 square miles is the Birmingham Police Department (BPD). The department is broken down into four precincts, North, South, East, and West, with approximately 617 sworn officers and 186 civilian personnel protecting the city.

After 25 years of service, Scott Thurmond stepped down as Chief of Police in 2024. Birmingham native Michael Pickett, who first joined the BPD in 2004, was appointed by Mayor Randall Woodfin to act as the department’s interim Chief of Police. Though there has been no announcement regarding a permanent appointment, in Chief Pickett’s short time in his current role, he has already overseen a significant change for the BPD that will better assist police officers in their daily tasks.

On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, the Birmingham City Council announced that it had approved funding to sponsor the BPD’s latest endeavor, the implementation of a new state-of-the-art police drone program. For a city the size of Birmingham, it is unusual that there is not already a drone program in place. Thanks to the successful drone programs of other municipalities in Jefferson County, such as Hoover, the BPD now has the funds to start its own drone program.

The Hoover Police Department, a city about 10 miles south of Birmingham, was one of the early police departments to begin integrating drones as police tools. Last year, they had the opportunity to purchase a new fleet of drones to upgrade the program. The department now has at least 12 drones, several of which are the DJI Matrice 30T, a favorite among public safety users. “Any tool at our disposal to help keep the Hoover community safe, we are all about,” said Officer Brian Hale of the Hoover PD. “It helps cut down on all of that wasted time that we could be serving the public, so it’s just a huge asset and a wonderful tool to have in our toolbox.”

This is exactly what Chief Pickett and members of the City Council hope to achieve with the BPD drone program. The city has partnered with drone experts from the Atlanta Drone Group Inc. to purchase a fleet of drones that will cost the city $1.5 million. The program will be headquartered at the department’s main location within the Real-Time Crime Center at the North Precinct. From there, the drones will be divided among the department’s remaining three precincts, each of which already has one trained and Part 107 licensed drone pilot. Part of the funding will go toward the training and licensing of a dedicated staff of police officers as drone operators.

As for the specific equipment to be purchased, the BPD has announced that it will be acquiring 16 DJI Matrice 4TD drones with additional backup batteries, charging equipment, dock licenses, and other remote pilot accessories. This drone is very similar to the one being used by the Hoover PD, with a few technical advancements. The main differences are that the latest Matrice model has a longer flight time, more precise sensors, enhanced thermal and optical imaging, and AI capabilities that allow it to operate with a higher degree of autonomy.

The BPD’s primary goal for the drone program is to use them as rapid response systems for incoming police calls, much like the Drones as First Responder (DFR) programs gaining traction in major cities across the country. With DFR programs, police officers can prioritize calls to better serve the public while minimizing risks. The drones will also be used in search and rescue missions, to monitor public gatherings, collect evidence, and manage traffic incidents. As the department becomes better acquainted with the technology, its use cases will expand as needed.

With the launch of this innovative drone program, the BPD is taking a significant step toward modernizing its approach to public safety. By embracing cutting-edge technology and learning from the successes of neighboring agencies, the Birmingham Police Department is positioning itself to respond more quickly, efficiently, and effectively to the needs of the community it serves. As the program develops, it promises to be a vital asset in supporting officers and enhancing the safety of Birmingham’s residents.

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