ST. CLOUD, Fla. – St. Cloud has ushered in a new era of law enforcement by integrating drones into its police force.

In a pioneering move, the local police department has unveiled its “Drone as First Responder” initiative, becoming the region’s first to do so. These advanced drones, unlike previous models, offer remote operation capabilities, which promise faster response times and enhanced operational efficiency.

“The key to public safety lies in reducing the time it takes to address critical incidents,” explained Police Chief Douglas Goerke.

Although the department has been utilizing drones for over ten years, officers traditionally had to manually carry and deploy these devices.

Under the new program, two docking stations have been strategically positioned—one at City Hall and another at the police department—each equipped with a drone ready for swift launch. There are also plans to install additional docks at City Hall and Narcoossee, aiming to expand coverage and further cut down on response times throughout the area.

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Using thermal imaging, lights and parachutes, the drones can be up and running in seconds thanks to waivers from the Federal Aviation Administration that allow them to be flown virtually.

“It’s a waiver from the FAA that allows us to fly non-line of sight. We do that application. At the time we actually started putting this process together, and the FAA reviews our flight restrictions where we’re located from the geolocation to the airport. They do a lot of background and investigative work for us to determine whether or not we be given that waiver,” Goerke said.

The drones are deployed for in-progress calls, giving officers eyes in the sky instantly.

“There’s nothing worse in a critical incident than a law enforcement officer getting to a scene and trying to assess everything in a split second,” Goerke added.

The drones fly at about 200 feet and travel between 35 and 40 mph, reaching scenes faster and even operating in inclement weather.

They are controlled remotely from a real-time intelligence center, where pilots provide officers on the call with crucial information.

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“It can be assessed by our real-time intelligence center and say, there is a person with a weapon in his right front pocket. Know that before you get there, this is your guy and the person that they’re looking at, saying, yes, that’s the individual that has a weapon in their pocket,” Goerke explained.

All drone recordings are stored as evidence, and residents can view the calls the drones have responded to through an online dashboard.

The DFR program uses Skydio X10 drones, which are American-made and compliant with the National Defense Authorization Act. These drones are equipped with thermal imaging capabilities, safety and law enforcement light kits, and parachutes for added safety during flight.

DFR technology provides responding officers and fire rescue personnel with real-time aerial intelligence before they arrive on scene, allowing for better-informed decisions such as assessing the number of people involved, the extent of a fire, or the direction a suspect is fleeing.

The total investment for the DFR program over the next five years is projected to be $890,000, reflecting a commitment to leveraging technology for safer, more efficient public safety operations.