The Orlando City Council is set to vote on a $6.83 million program to equip the police department with 11 new Axon Skydio drones. This “Drone as First Responder” initiative aims to reduce 911 call response times to under three minutes by dispatching drones to perceived life-threatening, property-damaging, or time-sensitive incidents before officers arrive.
The drones, capable of direct integration with police body cameras, are intended to provide real-time aerial information. While proponents highlight their potential to save lives and provide critical situational awareness, critics and civil liberties advocates raise significant concerns about oversurveillance, the potential for misuse against vulnerable populations, and the expansion of pervasive aerial monitoring without strict limitations.