Drone as First Responder – Making Communities Safer
Disclaimer: Portions of this video show real incidents involving law enforcement and emergency responses. Some scenes may be sensitive for certain viewers.
About the Drone Program
Program Mission
The mission of the Chula Vista Police Department’s Drone Program is it to provide airborne support to police operations in a safe, responsible, and transparent manner to preserve the peace, reduce response times, and increase the quality of life in Chula Vista.
Operational Response and Support
The drone is deployed in response to all high priority calls for service initiated by community members seeking assistance. Additionally, it records contacts and calls for service that are determined to hold evidentiary value, providing critical support for case review and potential prosecution. Some examples include providing an overhead view of an area or incident for ground personnel, safely clearing the interior of buildings, providing detailed documentation of crime and accident scenes, and searching for lost or missing persons.
DFR Program Overview
In December 2015, CVPD formed the UAS Committee to study the use of the technology in its public safety operations. UAS Committee members met dozens of times to study best practices, policies, and procedures regarding the use of UAS technology in law enforcement. A special focus of the team’s research was an effort to address concerns about public trust, civil liberties, and the public’s right to privacy during the operation of CVPD UAS systems.
Prior to implementing its UAS Program, CVPD discussed its plan for UAS operations in the media, in public forums, and in posted information about the project on the CVPD website. This outreach included a mechanism for the public to contact or email the UAS Team to comment on CVPD’s UAS policy, to express concerns, or provide feedback. It is important to note that, out of respect for civil liberties and personal privacy, CVPD’s UAS policy specifically prohibits the use of UAS systems for general surveillance or general patrol operations. After exhaustive planning and research, CVPD activated its UAS Program in the summer of 2017 to support tactical operations by CVPD first responders
Beginning on October 22, 2018, with strong support from the community, CVPD began deploying drones from the rooftop of the police department headquarters to 911 calls and other reports of emergency incidents, such as crimes in progress, fires, traffic accidents, and reports of dangerous subjects. This unique Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for drones developed out of a partnership between CVPD and CAPE. Learn more about CAPE drone software by Motorola Solutions.
CVPD and CAPE were part of the San Diego IPP Team, selected as one of only 10 teams among hundreds of applicants as part of the FAA’s Integration Pilot Project (IPP). The IPP was a federal initiative designed to help integrate drones into the National Air Space (NAS). CVPD’s CONOPS is called Drone as First Responder (DFR), and it is a transformational method of policing that has demonstrated the ability to increase officer and community safety and reduce overall police response times. DFR provides the ability to see what is going on at an incident before emergency personnel arrive on scene. In addition to the overhead perspective that traditional air support has always provided, DFR allows a trained incident commander to “virtually” arrive on scene first, sometimes minutes before officers are in harm’s way. The drone has a powerful on-board camera that streams HD video back to the department’s real-time operations center where the teleoperator, who is a trained critical incident manager, not only controls the drone remotely, but communicates with the units in the field to give them information and tactical intelligence about what they are responding to. The system also streams the video feed to the cell phones of the first responders, supervisors, and command staff, so they can see exactly what the drone is seeing.
In addition, CVPD is the first and only police department in the nation to test and successfully use Live911. This revolutionary software – developed in partnership with HigherGround – allows both the teleoperator and officers in the field the ability to listen live to incoming 911 calls in real time. The audio of a call between a citizen and a dispatcher contains critical information; the teleoperator is able to launch based upon what he or she hears during the ongoing 911 emergency and is often able to have the drone arrive on scene before the officers on the ground even realize the incident is occurring. This Live911 system supports the already robust and efficient CVPD police dispatching system, providing only an added layer of efficiency to serve the community.
The DFR Program continued to expand its capabilities with the ultimate goal of providing the ability to respond to any location in the city within minutes. In May 2019, CVPD was authorized to fly Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS waiver). This allowed the drones to fly up to 3 miles in any direction from the launch site (within city limits). Moving from a 1-mile flight radius to 3 miles increased the area of service exponentially.
In August 2019, CVPD partnered with Paradise Valley Hospital and Rush Properties to add an additional launch site. The site is about 2 miles south of the police department headquarters and provides the ability to cover the entire west portion of the city. This area is roughly 30% of the geographic area of the city, but due to its density and commercial activity, is responsible for about 70% of the priority calls for service.
Also in August 2019, through the tremendous generosity of the Chula Vista Police Foundation, CVPD was able to purchase two new DJI Matrice 210 V2 Drones. In September 2020, through a combination of a donation from the Chula Vista Police Foundation and the use of grant monies, CVPD purchased seven new DJI Matrice M-300 Drones. These new drones were a significant improvement to the operation and provided increased range and capability. The M-300’s are currently being deployed from all launch sites daily.
In March 2021, CVPD again made history as the first in the United States to obtain Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization to launch from anywhere in the city. CVPD formed more great partnerships with Southwestern College and Ayres Hotel in the eastern parts of the city to add two additional launch sites. In November 2021, CVPD partnered with Sharp Hospital to add a fifth launch site, gaining city-wide DFR coverage. CVPD was also the first in the nation to obtain a two-to-one waiver, giving us the ability to launch two drones from each location, further providing seamless service to the community and first responders.
Since its inception, DFR Program drones have responded to thousands of emergencies and the program continues to serve the residents of Chula Vista by reducing response times, increasing safety, and providing real-time information for better informed decisions. The program has continued to evolve – including changes in drone launch sites, policy updates, and improved technology – to better serve and meet the needs of the community.
Chief Roxana Kennedy has called DFR one her most important tools in improving situational awareness, de-escalating dangerous situations, and protecting her officers and community. DFR, along with Live911, are just two of several components in the Chief’s Public Safety Innovation (PSI) Initiative. The PSI Initiative is just one example of CVPD’s commitment to supporting the city’s role as a leader in the international Smart Cities movement.
Implementing a UAS Program at Your Agency
To learn more about the Drone as First Responder (DFR) program and how to implement a UAS program in your agency, explore the following resources:
CVPD UAS Presentation – IACP Annual Conference (October 2018)
Overview of the Chula Vista Police Department’s UAS program presented at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference and Exposition. View presentation (PDF).
U.S. DOJ COPS Office Report on CVPD UAS Program
National case study highlighting how the department uses drone technology to support public safety and innovation. View the full report (PDF).
“10 Tips for Starting a Drone as First Responder Program” – POLICE Magazine Practical guidance for agencies looking to launch a DFR program, including planning, staffing, and operational considerations. Read the article.
“Deploying a Drone as First Responder” – Police1 Article
Industry article outlining key strategies, lessons learned, and operational insights from CVPD’s DFR program. Read the article.
Drone as First Responder (DFR) Program Brochure
Informational overview of the program, including how drones are used to enhance response and community safety. View brochure (PDF).
Drone-Related Activity Dashboard
Drone Flight History Maps
To achieve public transparency, CVPD uses drone software to track all drone flights launched by the department. The drone flight database and the drone dashboard database are independent of each other but are not entirely automated. Both rely at some level on data entry. Every effort is made to provide timely updates and accurate reports on all drone flight data. At times, the data provided may differ from actual flight data but is checked for accuracy regularly. CVPD's policies prohibit drone operators from intentionally recording or transmitting images of any location where a person would have a reasonable expectation of privacy, except where authorized by a warrant issued by a judge or in emergency situations.
Beginning in April 2021, CVPD partnered with Airdata and Motorola Solutions to provide information on every flight by a CVPD drone. Click here to access recent flight data.
DFR Saves Lives
In October 2023, CVPD officers rescued a man from a burning car on the side of the freeway after hearing the 911 calls in real time on Live911. Although the location of the incident was somewhat unclear and many details were lacking, a CVPD drone was overhead quickly and the DFR pilot provided the responding officers with a more accurate location. The video below shows the dramatic rescue. Some viewers may find the footage disturbing, therefore this content is age restricted.
De-Escalation at its Best
These videos are just a few of many examples of how our DFR program de-escalates potentially dangerous situations. This innovation allows our officers to view potential hazards and develop sound strategies and tactics before rushing into dangerous situations. DFR helps protect the public, preserve the peace, reduce response times and increase overall quality of life in Chula Vista.
UAS is an Uncrewed Aerial System and is commonly called a drone. A drone is an aerial device with an onboard computer that is operated remotely – generally by a pilot on the ground – using a handheld controller. Small drones are battery operated, weigh less than 55 pounds, have several rotors like a helicopter, and are equipped with a video camera.
Where is the video and photos taken by the UAS stored?
All video and photo evidence taken during any UAS mission is stored in the same manner and location as Body Worn Camera (BWC) video and other investigative evidence. CVPD utilizes a private “cloud” service, Evidence.com, to store all digital evidence. The service is authorized and certified under both state and federal regulations for the security and protection of confidential information and is available only for official law enforcement purposes. Evidence is stored and saved for a limited time (one year or less), unless it is categorized as evidence in an actual crime or formal investigation. Then it is stored for a period of time consistent with all other evidence related to that incident/investigation.
Who has access to the video and photos?
Video and photos collected by UAS are stored for the purposes of conducting police investigation and subsequent prosecutions. Accordingly, videos and photos are generally accessible to police investigators for official use only. Like all police records, video and photos may also be subject to additional release under the same rules and restrictions as BWC video and other items of evidence. Generally, UAS photos and video are considered part of the investigative record and are not available to the public under the California Public Records Act (CPRA) or Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). For more details, please refer to the CVPD Policy on Portable Audio/Video Recorders.
How is my privacy protected?
The intent of the DFR Program is to enhance CVPD’s response to emergency calls for service. As such, drones are used during an active response to an emergency or other call for police assistance. CVPD policy prohibits drone operators from intentionally recording or transmitting images of any location where a person would have a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as inside private buildings, except where authorized by a warrant issued by a judge or in emergency situations.
Can foreign countries gain access to CVPD’s drone data or information through a drone’s built-in software?
No. Our drone data does not utilize the onboard software from the drone manufacturer. From the outset of our program, we have used an encrypted, US-based software program to bypass the drone manufacturer’s systems. Our data is encrypted and is stored on US-based servers that meet federal requirements for confidential law enforcement databases.
What ongoing training do UAS pilots complete?
In addition to the training and study required to maintain a FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot License, all CVPD UAS Team members train regularly in a variety of locations and settings to ensure operational efficiency. All training is documented, and the records are maintained by CVPD and are subject to review by the FAA.
What rules and regulations must CVPD’s UAS pilots follow?
All CVPD UAS pilots are subject to FAA regulations related to airspace use, and all must have a valid “Part 107” Remote Pilot License. UAS pilots are also subject to the CVPD Policy on UAS Operations.
Why does CVPD use UAS rather than helicopters?
Helicopters and other manned aircraft (air support) are very expensive to operate. Currently, CVPD relies on the San Diego Police Department and the San Diego Sheriff’s Department for air support. UAS can be used in a variety of ways that supplement mutual aid air support requests in a cost-effective and efficient manner, like the DFR aerial intelligence-led emergency response.
What is Drone as First Responder (DFR) operations?
Drone as First Responder (DFR) Operations is an innovative and transformative use of UAS developed and implemented by CVPD. DFR is the public safety Concept of Operations use-case developed while a member of the San Diego City IPP Team. The concept is to utilize a UAS to fly to any reported emergency and arrive prior to first responders on the ground. The video feed from the UAS is viewed at the police department by a trained first responder (teleoperator or TO). The TO is able to operate the UAS remotely and communicate with field personnel via radio immediately. The TO is able to evaluate the scene and circumstances before those in the field arrive and provide necessary tactical information that help them stay safe and increase efficiency. The video feed is also immediately available to every officer in the field via a smart phone application, so officers and fire personnel can see for themselves what they are responding to. The ability to evaluate the resources needed, prepare the proper operational response, and increase the safety of the first responders and the public is the intent of the project and the mission of CVPD.
When do Chula Vista Police use UAS (drones)?
CVPD uses UAS in a variety of circumstances, such as documenting crime and accident scenes, searching for missing or wanted persons, fires, and evaluating damage after a major incident or natural disaster. These can happen anywhere in the city and the CVPD UAS Team will respond to those on an as-needed basis. The Chula Vista Police UAS Team was part of an FAA initiative (UAS Integration Pilot Project, or IPP), that encouraged public agencies and private companies to partner in using UAS in innovative ways to serve the community and evaluate the integration of UAS into the National Air Space (NAS). Since October 22, 2018, CVPD, in partnership with Cape and other companies, has been utilizing UAS to respond to emergency calls or reported incidents. The UAS are launched from four launch sites situated throughout the city and fly toward the scene of incident, such as a crime in progress, serious accident, officer in need of assistance, or any other incident where having advanced knowledge of what is happening at the scene before police and fire first responders arrive may add to safety and efficiency. This program is called Drone as First Responder (DFR) Operations (see FAQ above).
What types of drones does CVPD have in its fleet?
DJI MAVIC MINI 2
DJI INSPIRE 2
DJI MAVIC 2 ENTERPRISE
DJI MAVIC 2 ENTERPRISE ADVANCED
DJI MATRICE 4T
DJI M300 with H30T
DJI M350 with H30T
DJI Box 3 with DJI Matrice 4TD
DJI M210v2 with z30
DJI PHANTOM 4
DJI MAVIC 2 ZOOM
DJI MAVIC PRO
SKYDIO 2
SKYDIO X2 (Color/Thermal)
PARROT ANAFI
BRINC LEMUR S
DJI AVATA
DJI AVATA 2
How do I ask a question or make a complaint about UAS use in Chula Vista?
