Search News

Texas school districts investigating UAV security, but not armed drones

New Certificate of Waiver (COW) Process Streamlines Approvals for Public Safety Agencies

Despite the long-standing recognition of drones' security potential, technological and regulatory challenges have prevented many from truly exploring adoption.

The drone industry is experiencing a significant shift in funding priorities, with military and defense applications attracting substantial investments.

NASA researchers conducted initial validation of a new airspace management system designed to enable crews to use aircraft to fight and monitor wildland fires 24 hours a day, even during low-visibility conditions. 

At the National Public Safety UAS Conference hosted by DRONERESPONDERS, Captain Brandon Moore of the Asheville Police Department (APD) shared insights from their UAV operations during Hurricane Helene's aftermath in Western North Carolina, highlighting both successes and critical lessons learned.

The National Public Safety UAS Conference featured a session on drone incursions in New Jersey. The discussion, led by experts from law enforcement and counter-UAS operations, shed light on the extensive efforts made by multiple agencies to determine what, if anything, had actually occurred.

Flying Lion, Inc., a leading drone service provider, has launched FLI Town, the nation's first dedicated Drone as First Responder (DFR) training center. This facility offers a secure, vendor-agnostic environment designed to support public safety agencies in training, testing, and collaboration on drone operations.

A bill pending in the Arizona state legislation is proposing to grant immunity from liability from any damages caused by a drone falling from the sky after being shot down or disabled by state and local law enforcement officers near the U.S.-Mexico border.

Federal Funding for UAV Integration in North Dakota, Self-Localizing Drones from MIT, Drones for Health Resources Delivery in Rural Kentucky

This bill would allow law enforcement agencies to use federal grants to purchase and operate drones, expanding access to technology that enhances public safety and emergency response capabilities.

As more and more public safety agencies recognize the power of drones to enable faster response times, Drone as First Responder (DFR) systems are being adopted by that many more departments.

NASA is working with the wildfire response community to develop new technologies that will enhance aerial firefighting operations, particularly at night. These advancements could enable drones, both remotely piloted and autonomous, to assist in wildfire suppression around the clock, even in low-visibility conditions

The FAA has designated a "No Drone Zone" for Caesars Superdome in New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX on game day, Sunday, Feb. 9 and in the skies around the city's downtown area during the days leading up to the big event.

Technology companies in Los Angeles and Silicon Valley are volunteering their services, including deploying drones equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities "to detect flare-ups and to try to reach new fires as quickly as possible." These vehicles, the news outlet stated, are "capable of getting closer to the flames than humans would be able to safely, can help map the firefight along with satellites."

Utilizing DFR (Drone as First Responder) programs, safety professionals of all types are using the technology to provide everything from better situation awareness to enabling faster response times to reducing risk to personnel. When operating Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS), those benefits can be taken to another level, but a recent milestone showcases the true significance of that next level. 

City officials should understand that FAA's rules allow for most areas to be open and drones may be flying in closer proximity to buildings, homes and people that the public may expect.

Mithril Defense and Texas Legislators Push for UAVs with Pepper Spray to Enhance School Safety Amid Funding Challenges

Drone as First Responder (DFR) system, which is meant to capture data on the origin location of an incident and inform police forces, fire brigades, or rescue organizations going out to the site.

Texas public schools could be guarded by drones armed with pepper spray or Tasers under a new bill filed in the Texas Legislature meant to beef up school security. The measure would boost funding for safety upgrades and let schools deploy drones in place of the armed guards that lawmakers required on every campus in response to the Uvalde school shooting.

ARISE is the latest advancement in autonomous drone swarm technology that will benefit emergency services in Tulsa and beyond. ARISE utilizes artificial intelligence to enhance drone team capabilities for emergency response scenarios. Multiple drones autonomously coordinate and use real-time data integration to analyze the scene and relay information.

Drones Prove Effective for Rapid, Real-Time Response in Urban Settings

the need to equip first responders with counter drone technology, training, and authority. 

With the growing number of incidents involving drone flying where and when they shouldn't, local law enforcement agencies and drone security companies are lobbying Congress to pass legislation that would extend the authority to conduct counter-drone measures – currently held by a handful of select federal agencies – to local-level police officials.

In the years since Hurricane Sandy, the city has upgraded its disaster response efforts with the help of drones, which can warn people in low-lying areas of imminent flooding risk, breach storm-damaged buildings to help rescue survivors and conduct post-storm aerial surveys to help assess the extent of the damage.

Leveraging BVLOS and Advanced Imaging, UAS Crews Aid in Damage Assessment and Resource Allocation Across 500 Miles of Affected Roads

Volunteers use heavy-lift drones to bring life-saving supplies to isolated communities in North Carolina's mountainous region after roads are destroyed by the storm.

Commercial UAV News publishes regular reports on the use of drones in the public safety sector.

Harnessing AI and Unmanned Aerial Fleets to Predict, Detect, and Combat Wildfires Across the Globe

The Woodlands, Texas, a master-planned suburban development about 30 miles north of Houston, is joining the growing list of communities that are coming under the watchful eye of police agencies' drones-as-first-responders programs.

Drones equipped with advanced cameras and artificial intelligence (AI) can provide firefighters with valuable time to respond quickly.

Their task was to assist in the search for Earhart's aircraft using drone-mounted magnetometers in the challenging environment of Papua New Guinea's New Britain island.

Windracers' AI-Powered Ultra UAVs Show Promise in Early Detection and Rapid Response to Wildfires.

Partnership Aims to Eliminate the Need for Visual Observers in Emergency Drone Deployments

Highly maneuverable drones with less-than-lethal concussion devices offer a new and indirect way to stun individuals.

At the DRONERESPONDERS Georgia Public Safety Drone Summit, a session addressed the growing concern of unauthorized or rogue drones. The discussion centered on what law enforcement agencies can do when faced with community complaints about drones involved in illegal activitie

The fire department of the small city of Magnolia, Texas has put its UAV to work to deal with a number of floods and wildfires

create a framework for integrating AAM into missions related to law enforcement, fire rescue, emergency management, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief (HA/DR).

Specialized UAS for Disaster Response workshops train remote pilots to help assess damage and restore community lifeline services following a major storm impact.

State Report Reveals Dramatic Increase in Drone Flights Despite Modest Budget Growth

providing officers with comprehensive information from 911 calls through HigherGround's Live911 software alongside live video feeds from BRINC's Drone as First Responder (DFR) solution."

Letter to Law Enforcemnt Drone Association Membership regarding DJI ban legislation

While the author examined data for the state of Texas, the data reflects trends found throughout the country.

Letter to Senate Armed Services Committee highlights severe impact on public safety operations

From the Energy Drone and Robotics Summit in Houston and the DRONERESPONDERS co-located event, FAA experts were on hand to discuss the current environment in public safety, and what's coming for first responder drone programs.

Innovative 2-Year Research Agreement Utilizes Meteodrones to Improve Atmospheric Data Collection and Forecast Accuracy

New legislative proposal in the U.S. Congress, known as the Drones for First Responders (DFR) Act, is poised to strike a careful balance between enhancing national security and supporting domestic drone manufacturing.

Australian drone operator Ninox Robotics recently announced a joint operation with the New South Wales Rural Fire Service to fly long-range drones for surveillance of bush and grass fires

This year, over 600 public safety and related industry professionals convened at the second annual National Public Safety UAS Conference, in Williamsburg, Virginia. These are the top 5 key takeaways from the event.

A panel of FAA representative provide updates and insights for public safety and law enforcement drone community with updates on the B4UFly app, remote ID, and  along with fielded questions from the audience.