New York City Mayor Adam Adams and Acting Police Commissioner Tom Donlon announced on November 13 the launch of the “Drone as First Responder” (DFR) program. This initiative establishes the city’s first all-weather drone fleet, utilizing cutting-edge technology to swiftly fly to accident scenes and provide crucial information to ground personnel, enhancing the emergency response efficiency of the city’s police department and ensuring public safety.
The inaugural all-weather drone fleet of the DFR program consists of 10 state-of-the-art drones, allocated to five precincts in three administrative districts: the 67th, 71st, and 75th precincts of the Brooklyn Police Department, the 48th precinct of the Bronx, and the Central Park precinct in Manhattan.
With two drones assigned to each precinct, as soon as a priority public safety incident is reported to 911, the precinct can immediately dispatch drones. These drones autonomously fly to the exact location through remote operation, undertaking tasks such as searching for missing persons, detecting shootings, robberies, and major thefts, as well as other criminal activities. They provide real-time high-definition audio and video recording to assist on-site police with rapid responses. Mayor Adams stated during the press conference that the potential of drones has only just begun to be realized.
The police department has been using drones for various tasks since 2018, with their applications becoming increasingly diverse. In addition to assisting law enforcement in tracking and apprehending suspects, drones are utilized for monitoring protest activities, preventing subway surfing incidents, and identifying beach drownings or shark sightings. Last year, drones were deployed over 4,000 times for missions, enhancing efficiency, improving safety, and reducing rescue costs. With the launch of the DFR program, the police department now possesses 100 drones of different sizes and functions, along with over 110 drone operators certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
However, drones have faced criticism from civil rights organizations for infringing on personal privacy. In response, the police department clarified that footage recorded by drones, aside from being used for investigating crimes, apprehending suspects, or being retained as evidence for prosecution, will be automatically deleted after 30 days. This measure is aimed at making communities safer without raising privacy concerns.