The City of Sterling Heights approved the establishment of a new Drone as a First Responder (DFR) Program at its Jan. 20 City Council meeting, advancing the City’s use of technology to enhance public safety and emergency response.

Sterling Heights is among the first communities in the region to implement a Drone as a First Responder program, positioning the City as a leader in modern, data-driven public safety solutions.

The City of Sterling Heights and the Sterling Heights Police Department have utilized drones for public safety purposes for many years to assist with incident response, investigations, and situational awareness. The newly approved DFR program builds on that experience by establishing several permanent drone launch locations strategically placed throughout the city, allowing drones to be instantly launched and reducing response times compared to manually deploying equipment.

Once implemented, the DFR program will allow the Sterling Heights Police Department to deploy drones remotely, 24 hours a day, to emergency scenes across the city. Drones will be dispatched beyond line of sight from fixed docking stations, providing real-time aerial information to responding police officers and firefighters before they arrive on scene.

“This technology allows us to quickly assess situations from above while keeping our officers and residents safer,” said Police Chief Andrew Satterfield. “Having immediate visual information will help us make better decisions, respond more efficiently, and ensure the right resources are sent where they are needed most.”

The DFR program will utilize three drone docking stations located at municipal facilities in the north, central, and south areas of the city. When a call for service is received, trained police personnel will be able to dispatch a drone by entering an address or coordinates into a secure control system. The drone will automatically launch and transmit live video to responding units, improving situational awareness and response coordination.

While operated by the Police Department, the DFR program is designed to support a broad range of public safety and emergency response efforts. In addition to assisting law enforcement, drones may be used to support Fire Department operations by identifying possible fires, assessing conditions before crews arrive, evaluating traffic crash severity, monitoring flooding or severe weather, and providing situational awareness during large-scale incidents.

“Having real-time aerial information before our crews arrive will help us better understand conditions and respond more safely and effectively,” said Fire Chief Kevin Edmond. “This technology gives us another tool to protect firefighters and the community while strengthening emergency response.”

Mayor Michael Taylor said the program reflects the City’s commitment to innovation, collaboration, and fiscal responsibility. “By responsibly using modern technology, we can improve response times, strengthen coordination across departments, and better protect our residents and first responders,” Taylor said. “This program is fully funded through federal forfeiture funds, allowing us to enhance public safety without impacting local taxpayers.”

Following multiple demonstrations and evaluations, the City selected Axon Enterprise, Inc., in partnership with Skydio, to provide the drone hardware, software, and ongoing maintenance. The system will include a publicly accessible, 24-hour transparency portal where residents can view drone flight activity.

The first-year cost of the program is $149,264, with a five-year total of $678,822.40. An additional $13,500 will be used for electrical and data infrastructure installation at City facilities to support the drone docking stations.

The Drone as a First Responder program is scheduled to become operational Spring 2026, following installation, system testing, and completion of all required state and federal approvals.