Fire officials said the drones will help assess structure fires before apparatus arrive, improving situational awareness for commanders

DALLAS — The Dallas Police Department has officially launched its new Drone as First Responder program on May 21, deploying eight remotely operated drones across the city to assist police and fire crews during emergency calls, the department stated.

The Skydio drones are stationed at Dallas Fire-Rescue facilities and operated through the department’s Fusion and Real Time Crime Center. Officials said the drones can respond within a two-mile radius of each base location, which were selected using police and fire service call data.

The drones are designed to arrive at scenes faster than patrol vehicles and provide real-time aerial intelligence to responding officers. The devices are equipped with thermal imaging cameras and loudspeakers to assist during operations.

Police Chief Daniel Comeaux said the program is intended to improve response times and officer safety while reducing unnecessary deployments.

“Even during our training, our pilots were able to clear three holding calls in an hour with one drone,” Comeaux said.

Dallas Fire-Rescue is also integrating the drones into emergency operations. Officials said drones will be dispatched ahead of fire apparatus during reported structure fires, allowing commanders to assess conditions before crews arrive.

Dallas Fire-Rescue Chief Justin Ball said the partnership between police and fire departments will help improve situational awareness and response coordination.

City officials described the program as part of a broader effort to expand smart-city technology and enhance public safety services.

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