Several US towns and cities are testing Flock's Drones-as-First-Responder (DFR) system, which uses remotely operated drones that launch automatically from rooftop docks. Integrated with emergency services, the drones respond to 911 calls, license-plate reader alerts, and gunshot-detection notifications, streaming live footage to dispatchers and officers. Flock gained this capability through its acquisition of Aerodome, whose drones carry high-definition video and thermal imaging, and other startups are marketing similar Starlink-connected first-responder drones.
Supporters point to results from Fort Worth, Texas, where a two-month pilot saw drones deployed to 162 emergency calls with an average response time of 112 seconds. The drone arrived first in 76 calls and allowed authorities to clear 11 without sending officers. Fort Worth officials stress the drones only respond to calls and keep cameras pointed at the horizon until reaching the scene. Middletown, Connecticut's police chief similarly said the drone's purpose is first response, not surveillance, adding that footage would not be shared without a warrant and unused recordings would be erased within 30 days.
However, privacy concerns have led other jurisdictions to decline the service. Berkeley, California, rejected a $2-million proposal to expand its license-plate camera network with drones, while Bridgeport, Connecticut, turned down a $500,000 lease for two DFR drones. Even Middletown's mayor declined to sign the contract despite the approved trial. Critics cite fears that data could be shared with federal authorities without a warrant, though Flock says it does not work with ICE. The core opposition, the source suggests, is less about the drones themselves than a lack of trust in the company and the institutions deploying them.