Drone as First Responder (DFR) programs are dramatically transforming how communities respond to emergencies. Instead of waiting for first responders to arrive on scene, a drone is launched immediately after a 911 call, often reaching the emergency first and providing critical situational awareness.
How DFR Works
With a DFR program, drones are strategically placed in charging nests across a city. When a call comes in, the closest drone launches from a secure location and flies directly to the scene. Within seconds, dispatchers and first responders receive live video and real-time intelligence.
This early visibility provides critical context, allowing first responders to see and, in some cases, interact with the scene before they arrive.
Why DFR Matters
DFR delivers fast, actionable information when it matters most. That means:
- Faster response times
- Improved situational awareness
- Increased safety for first responders and the public
- More efficient use of limited resources
- Better communication
Real DFR Results
American communities are seeing measurable wins.
In 2025, the Taylor Police Department in Taylor, Mich. used Responder drones to help arrest 14 child predators. During the undercover operation, Responders were deployed to cover all entrances of large public areas, where they could positively identify suspects before undercover officers had even seen them.
In Queen Creek, Ariz., the police department resolved a high-risk traffic stop in just under seven minutes with the help of DFR.
By integrating CAD data, Schenectady City PD in Schenectady, N.Y. has significantly expanded its DFR coverage. When a drone is dispatched, 64 percent of those calls are cleared without sending officers, allowing personnel to focus on higher-priority incidents. Their public-facing dashboard shows how often the drone is first on scene and how frequently officer dispatch is avoided.
The Future of Emergency Response
BRINC turns the future of Drone as First Responder into reality with Guardian, its next-gen DFR drone. Designed and built in America, Guardian gives public safety agencies eyes on scene in 70 seconds or less, enabling them to clear one in four calls without dispatching a unit and improve human response times by 54 percent. That means cities can multiply resources without multiplying budgets.
Guardian sets a new standard as the most capable 911 response drone ever. Beyond its cutting-edge camera and advanced autonomy, it can fly for more than an hour, reach speeds of up to 60 mph, and carry up to ten pounds of payload, such as a full-size defibrillator, flotation device and more. It’s also the world’s first Starlink-connected drone, representing not just a major advancement in emergency response, but a huge step for the American drone industry as a whole.
When paired with Guardian Station, its robotic charging nest, the system can automatically swap batteries and payloads in seconds. The Station can store up to 20 payloads (including Narcan, AEDs, flotation devices and EpiPens) and agencies can remotely select the appropriate mission-specific payload before launch.
Together, Guardian and Guardian Station push the boundaries of DFR operations, covering seven times more area, more than doubling flight time, and increasing time on the scene by four times compared to legacy DFR systems.
As more cities adopt DFR, Guardian will become the gold standard tool for modern emergency response, and a powerful tool to protect both first responders and the communities they serve.
Visit the NLC Strategic Partnerships page to learn more about the organizations like BRINC Drones dedicated to making NLC the premier resource for local governments.
Get Started
Learn more about BRINC and NLC’s Drone as First Responder program.
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