Concord PD Expands Drone-as-First-Responder With Skydio X10
Photo credit: Concord Police Department Facebook
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The Concord Police Department in California is taking a major step toward the future of public safety and Kron4 News investigate about it. Officials have announced an expansion of their Drone as First Responder (DFR) program, which will use advanced drones to reach emergency scenes faster and provide real-time aerial support to officers on the ground.
Concord PD has been flying drones since 2021 to support field operations, locate missing persons, and document crime scenes. Now, the department is preparing to deploy drones from fixed docking stations positioned around the city, allowing launches within seconds of 911 calls, as we have been seeing that many others PD are migrating from their DJI units to Skydio ones.
Photo credit: Concord Police Department Facebook
According to the department, the goal is to improve response times and enhance community safety. “We’re taking the next step forward in public safety with the DFR Program, a groundbreaking initiative that helps officers respond faster, smarter, and safer,” officials said in a statement.
City Council Approves $500,000 for Drone Expansion
Earlier this week, the Concord City Council voted unanimously to spend $531,496 to expand the program. The package includes two new Skydio X10 drones, three weatherproof docking stations, installation, and 31 months of software and maintenance services from Axon Enterprise.
One of the two X10 units
Photo credit: Concord Police Department Facebook
The purchase also includes ten new body-worn cameras for officers and staff, bringing the total investment to just over half a million dollars.
Lt. Josh Gilfry, who leads the drone program, described drones as “the future of public safety.” He said the technology helps officers make faster, more informed decisions while reducing risks during emergencies.
Impressive Trial Results
Before full deployment, Concord Police ran a four-week trial using manually launched drones from headquarters. The results were impressive.
In that short time, the drone team responded to 140 calls for service, located 24 suspects, identified 9 vehicles, and cleared 39 calls without ground units. Within the drone’s two-mile coverage radius, Priority 1 response times dropped by nearly 45 percent, and Priority 2 calls saw a 67 percent improvement.
Lt. Gilfry explained that fixed docking stations will now allow drones to launch automatically when a 911 call comes in. In many cases, a drone could arrive on scene within two minutes or even before ground units are dispatched.
Chief Mark Bustillos said the technology is critical as the city grows but staffing levels remain the same. “We have to work smarter using technology,” he told the council.
Privacy and Accountability
The department emphasized transparency and privacy throughout the process, as the public is concerned about this. Actually, we even saw some problems with another PD regarding this and wrote about it. Cameras are pointed at the horizon while in transit and zoomed out until they reach an active scene.
Concord also maintains a public transparency portal that shows drone flights, with plans to make it viewable in real time. Data collected by drones is controlled entirely by the city and not shared with outside agencies without approval.
IT Director Greg Taylor confirmed that facial recognition features are disabled and that video data is deleted on a set schedule, except in homicide investigations where it’s retained indefinitely.
Expanding City Coverage
With the addition of new drones and docking stations, Concord aims to cover roughly 83 percent of the city with near-instant aerial response. The three planned sites will include the police department, a city facility near Water Park Way, and a central location downtown.
Photo credit: Concord Police Department Facebook
City leaders asked whether more drones would improve coverage. Chief Bustillos said the department ideally wants five drones to ensure full coverage and redundancy.
The team is also exploring FAA emergency waivers to extend operations into restricted airspace near the local airport, which currently limits access to the industrial area.
DroneXL’s Take
Concord’s move toward full DFR deployment shows how fast American cities are embracing automated drone systems for law enforcement. With Skydio X10 drones and Axon’s software backbone, the department will gain powerful tools for real-time intelligence and safer policing.
This program is also an example of how local governments can adopt drone technology responsibly, addressing privacy and transparency concerns while still improving public safety. If the results seen in Concord’s trial hold up citywide, the DFR model could soon become the standard for police response nationwide. What matters most is that the community feels safe and supported, rather than threatened, by this new aerial technology.
Photo credit: Concord Police Department Facebook