Dearborn Launches Michigan’s First DFR Program
Photo credit: Spectrum News/Melanie Tolen
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Dearborn is officially airborne. As of February 2, 2026, the City of Dearborn has rolled out a full scale Drone as First Responder program, making it the first city in Michigan to deploy drones as an integrated, citywide emergency response system, as FOX2 DETROIT reports.
Photo credit: Spectrum News/Melanie Tolen
This is not a limited pilot or a specialty unit tucked away in a closet. These Skydio drones launch from strategically placed locations across the city and can reach any call location in roughly two and a half minutes. In many cases, that means a drone is already overhead while patrol cars are still navigating traffic lights.
Once in the air, the drones stream live video and real time situational data directly to officers. That early visibility helps reduce uncertainty, sharpen decision making, and improve officer safety during fast moving and complex incidents.
Faster Decisions, Fewer Surprises
The Dearborn Police Department plans to use the DFR system across a wide range of calls, including violent crimes, traffic crashes, missing person searches, and vehicle or property break ins. The drones essentially act as an advance scout, gathering critical information before officers arrive.
Police Chief Issa Shahin
Photo credit: Spectrum News/Melanie Tolen
Police Chief Issa Shahin described the system as a force multiplier. The moment a call comes in, officers can begin assessing what is actually happening on scene. That allows the department to cut response times, allocate resources more effectively, and avoid sending too many or too few officers.
Photo credit: Spectrum News/Melanie Tolen
One of the biggest benefits is de escalation. By assessing threats from above, officers can avoid walking blindly into dangerous environments. This improves safety for officers and residents alike and reduces the likelihood that force is used simply because information was missing.
In some cases, incidents can even be resolved remotely, allowing officers to remain available for higher priority calls. That kind of efficiency is hard to achieve without eyes in the sky.
Beyond Policing and Part of a National Trend
Dearborn’s drones will not only respond to emergencies. The city will also use them for infrastructure surveys, construction progress documentation, illegal dumping investigations, and right of way monitoring.
During heavy rain events, drones can inspect rivers, drains, culverts, and flood prone areas. After storms, fires, or large public events, aerial damage assessments can speed up recovery efforts and help the city qualify faster for state or federal assistance.
Photo credit: Spectrum News/Melanie Tolen
Transparency is also built into the program. Dearborn plans to make flight data and recordings available through a public dashboard, reinforcing trust as the technology becomes part of daily operations.
This move places Dearborn squarely within a growing national trend. Police departments across the United States are rapidly adopting Skydio X10 drones paired with Skydio Dock systems for Drone as First Responder programs.
Photo credit: Spectrum News/Melanie Tolen
The combination of autonomous launch, rapid response, secure data handling, and reliable performance has made Skydio the default choice for many agencies building modern DFR networks.
Dearborn is simply the first in Michigan to connect all the dots and go all in.
DroneXL’s Take
Dearborn did not just add drones to its toolkit. It rewrote the opening minutes of emergency response. When live aerial intelligence arrives before patrol cars, policing becomes calmer, smarter, and safer.
This program mirrors what we are seeing nationwide as Skydio X10 drones and dock based systems quietly become the backbone of modern DFR operations. Michigan just got its first real taste of that future, and it probably will not be the last city to take off.
Photo credit: Spectrum News/Melanie Tolen