DRONE AS FIRST RESPONDER
MANHATTAN BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
FEBRUARY 3, 2026
2 CITY OF
MANHATTAN BEACH
DRONE AS FIRST RESPONDER (
DFR
)
DRONE AS FIRST RESPONDER
MANHATTAN BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
FEBRUARY 3, 2026
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
3 CITY OF
MANHATTAN BEACH
DRONES IN
PUBLIC SAFETY
DRONE AS FIRST RESPONDER
MANHATTAN BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
FEBRUARY 3, 2026
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Conventional/Patrol
-
Led
Use Cases
On
-
Scene
Deployment
Search and
Rescue
SWAT Tactical
Support
Investigation
& Evidence
Limitations
•
Requires
drone to be
launched on scene
•
Requires
more
officers to be trained
drone pilots
•
Takes officers away
from their main job
4 CITY OF
MANHATTAN BEACH
WHY
DFR
MATTERS
DRONE AS FIRST RESPONDER
MANHATTAN BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
FEBRUARY 3, 2026
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Alhambra PD (est. 2019)
Arrives First
On Scene
83 second
average
response time
80 % first on
scene rate
Reduce
Response
Times
86%
average
reduction
in response
time
Locate Subjects
Located 1,826
subjects prior to
the patrol
response
Clear Calls
for Service
278 cleared
calls without
any patrol
response
required
1 2
3 4
5 CITY OF
MANHATTAN BEACH
NEIGHBORING AGENCY STATISTICS
DRONE AS FIRST RESPONDER
MANHATTAN BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
FEBRUARY 3, 2026
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
El Segundo PD
Since summer of 2025:
•
Over 400+ Flights
•
50 + calls for service cleared without patrol
resources
•
1st on scene over 85% of the time
6 CITY OF
MANHATTAN BEACH
MBPD DEMO DAY STATISTICS
DRONE AS FIRST RESPONDER
MANHATTAN BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
FEBRUARY 3, 2026
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
•
Responded to
14 calls
for service in 10
-
hour period
•
Average Response Time:
2min 17secs
•
First on Scene
93%
of the time
*
Demo did not include Live911 feature, which allows for a faster response
7 CITY OF
MANHATTAN BEACH
APPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
DRONE AS FIRST RESPONDER
MANHATTAN BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
FEBRUARY 3, 2026
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
•
Real
-
time Situational Awareness
•
Search and Rescue Operations
•
Traffic Congestion Monitoring
•
Fire Suppression Support
•
Directed Patrols of Public Areas
•
Downtown
•
Pier
•
Beach
•
Commercial Districts
•
De
-
escalation of incidents
8 CITY OF
MANHATTAN BEACH
VENDOR RECOMMENDATION
DRONE AS FIRST RESPONDER
MANHATTAN BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
FEBRUARY 3, 2026
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
9 CITY OF
MANHATTAN BEACH
•
Drone, Dock, Camera
•
Annual Battery Refresh
•
Hardware Upgrades
•
All Software
•
FAA Waivers @ 400ft
•
SOP & Policy
Consulting
•
DFR Remote
Operations Training
•
Full Suite of Integrations
Included
•
Community
Engagement
MANHATTAN BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
FEBRUARY 3, 2026
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
A TURNKEY PACKAGE/SEAMLESS DEPLOYMENT
DRONE AS FIRST RESPONDER
10 CITY OF
MANHATTAN BEACH
SYSTEM COMPARISON / INSURANCE PLAN
DRONE AS FIRST RESPONDER
MANHATTAN BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
FEBRUARY 3, 2026
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Max Speed
Average Uptime
Coverage Area
Camera
Dock 3 w/
Aerodome
3 docks with 1 drones per station
47 mph
54 min
3.5 mile radius
Read a plate at ~700ft
High
-
def thermal
Flock
ALPHA
DFR
2 docks with 1 drone per station
60 mph
65 min
4 mile radius
Read a plate at ~2,000ft
Max
-
def thermal
11 CITY OF
MANHATTAN BEACH
REAL TIME POLICING IN ACTION
DRONE AS FIRST RESPONDER
MANHATTAN BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
FEBRUARY 3, 2026
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Elk Grove FD
Fire Response
Call 1: Structure Fire
Arrived 2 minutes
before first ground
units
Call 2: Vehicle Fire
Arrived 4 minutes
before first ground
units
12 CITY OF
MANHATTAN BEACH
REAL TIME POLICING IN ACTION
DRONE AS FIRST RESPONDER
MANHATTAN BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
FEBRUARY 3, 2026
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Hawthorne PD
Domestic Violence w/ Weapon
Man threatens to
kill his girlfriend
Flees on foot
Drone witnesses
suspect bury the
gun
Suspect tracked
and arrested
Drone locates him
13 CITY OF
MANHATTAN BEACH
FUNDING
DRONE AS FIRST RESPONDER
MANHATTAN BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
FEBRUARY 3, 2026
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
State Law Enforcement Services (SLES) Fund
•
FY 2025
-
2026 ($150,000)
•
SLES funds budgeted
•
FY 2026
-
2027 ($150,000)
•
Unreserved SLES funds available
14 CITY OF
MANHATTAN BEACH
RISK MITIGATION & PRIVACY SAFEGUARDS
DRONE AS FIRST RESPONDER
MANHATTAN BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
FEBRUARY 3, 2026
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
•
All drone operations and pilots will adhere to
FAA regulations and respect state privacy
laws.
•
All flights will be logged for transparency.
•
Agreement includes an automated
public
transparency portal for UAS flights
•
Department Policy presently established for
drone
operations, ensuring responsible
deployment.
15 CITY OF
MANHATTAN BEACH
DRONE AS FIRST RESPONDER
MANHATTAN BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
FEBRUARY 3, 2026
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
IMPLEMENTATION
•
Planning Department/Permitting
•
Hardware Installation
•
User Training
•
Fully Operational in eight to twelve weeks
16 CITY OF
MANHATTAN BEACH
DRONE AS FIRST RESPONDER
MANHATTAN BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
FEBRUARY 3, 2026
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
REQUESTED COUNCIL ACTION
•
Waive formal bidding per Municipal Code Section
2.36.140 (waivers); and
•
Adopt Resolution No. 26
-
0007 approving a two
-
year
agreement with Flock Group, Inc. for DFR Program in an
amount not
-
to
-
exceed $300,000 .