Chief John Drake today announced the MNPD will launch a Drone as First Responder (DFR) limited trial program on Tuesday, May 26, through which three drones based on the roof of the Madison Precinct will be available to respond within a two-mile radius of the precinct building to emergency calls for service, calls regarding active criminal investigations, missing person calls and significant traffic crashes.
The drones will be controlled by four FAA-certified police officers from the Community Safety Center at police headquarters. They have received specialized training in drone operations.
Drone as First Responder Programs have proven effective in cities across the country by allowing drone operators to see what is happening and provide information to ground units enroute to emergency calls as they are moving through traffic.
There are five Metro Council districts within the two-mile flight radius of the Madison Precinct. Those five council members, Jennifer Gamble, Jeff Gregg, Jeff Eslick, Tonya Hancock, and Jennifer Frensley Webb, have been briefed on the limited trial, which is expected to cover 30 to 45 flight days.
At the conclusion of the trial, the MNPD will compile the data and report on the DFR test.
The three drones and associated equipment have been loaned to the MNPD by Skydio for the purpose of conducting this trial.
