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Drones as first responders (DFR) have quickly moved from experimental pilots to a central part of modern public safety response. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley talks with Rahul Sidhu, vice president of aviation at Flock Safety and co-founder of Aerodome, about how agencies can successfully launch, scale and sustain DFR programs.
Sidhu shares lessons from his own start at Redondo Beach PD, common pitfalls agencies should avoid and what comes next as AI and automation redefine drone deployment in emergency response.
Tune in to discover
- How a drone on day three of testing helped catch an attempted murder suspect — and changed one agency’s future overnight
- Why “doing it yourself” is the fastest way to kill a drone program — and what to do instead
- How agencies get burned chasing the cheapest tech — and the costly mistake too many make on rooftops
- Why the FAA is moving faster than you think — and what that means for chiefs eyeing drones in 2025
- How AI and connected systems are rewriting the playbook — and what DFR 3.0 will look like on your streets
Key takeaways from this episode
- DFR is moving toward greater automation and AI integration, creating faster and more effective response capabilities.
- Agencies must invest in the right mix of technology, policy, training and community engagement to build sustainable programs.
- Common missteps include trying to build programs in-house without support, underestimating FAA compliance requirements and failing to communicate with the community.
- DFR is most effective when integrated with broader systems like real-time crime centers, ALPR and gunshot detection technology.
- Future growth will expand beyond policing, with fire, EMS and disaster response leveraging drones for faster situational awareness and resource deployment.
About our sponsor
This episode is sponsored by Flock Safety. Discover the leading safety technology platform that helps communities thrive by taking a proactive approach to crime prevention and security. Empower your agency to solve crime faster with Flock’s city-wide platform. Our full-service, maintenance-free solution helps you solve more crime to shape a safer future for thousands of communities across the country. Flock Safety provides best-in-class License Plate Readers (LPRs), audio detection, video cameras, RTCC software, and Drone as First Responder systems for law enforcement to solve crime and keep their cities safe.
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