Dearborn Launches Drone Program to Speed Emergency Response

When someone calls 911 in Dearborn, Michigan, help now comes from two directions: squad cars on the ground and drones in the sky.

The city recently launched Michigan's first "Drone as First Responder" program, designed to give officers eyes on emergency situations before they arrive. Instead of responding blind to calls, police can now deploy drones from automated launch stations called "dock hives" to assess what's happening in real time.

Police Chief Issa Shahin says the goal is simple: reduce uncertainty and speed up response times. "This program will enable us to assess situations almost instantly when someone calls for help," he explained.

The technology comes from Skydio, a company that's already working with over 1,000 police departments across the United States. Their drones can operate in extreme temperatures, from negative four degrees to 122 degrees Fahrenheit, making them useful year round.

Early results from other cities show promise. In Lakewood, Colorado, drones handled over 1,200 calls in just 22 weeks. The department cleared 41 percent of those calls without needing to send officers at all, freeing up resources for more serious emergencies.

The drones arrived on scene first 80 percent of the time, giving responders crucial information about what they were walking into. That advance knowledge helped officers make 115 arrests where the drone footage proved essential.

The Bright Side

Beyond faster response times, this technology offers something equally valuable: safety. Officers heading into unknown situations face real danger when they don't know what awaits them. A drone arriving first can spot hazards, assess threats, and help departments send the right resources to the right place.

For communities, that means smarter policing. Instead of dispatching multiple squad cars to every call, departments can use drone footage to decide exactly what's needed. Minor issues might not need an officer at all, while serious emergencies can get immediate backup.

The technology also creates transparency. Every drone flight is recorded, providing clear documentation of what responders encountered. That accountability benefits both police departments and the communities they serve.

As more cities adopt similar programs, emergency response is getting faster, smarter, and safer for everyone involved.