September 22, 2026
Agenda Item No. 6
TO:
HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
David Miner, Chief of Police - 949-644-3701, [email protected] PREPARED BY:
Shawn Randell, Deputy Chief - 949-644-3750, [email protected] TITLE:
Amendment No. Three to the Purchase, Installation and Maintenance Agreement with Axon for Skydio Drones and Body Worn Cameras ABSTRACT:
The Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) requests City Council approval to amend the existing agreement (Agreement) with Axon Enterprise, Inc. to add Skydio drones, docks and related systems for the department’s drone program and to add body worn cameras for park patrol and parking control officers. The Agreement has 73 months remaining of the original 10-year term. Costs for the requested amendment (Amendment) are $751,962.23 for the first year, with a total 73-month cost of $4,506,801.18 for a new total not-to-exceed contract amount of $8,939,719.30. Staff also recommends approval of a budget amendment in the amount of $306,946.43, to cover the first-year costs of the Amendment.
Should the City Council approve the proposed Amendment to the agreement, the purchase would be completed using a cooperative competitive procurement process and pricing through Sourcewell Contract No. 101223-AXN.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; and b) Approve Amendment No. Three to the Purchase, Installation and Maintenance Agreement with Axon Enterprise, Inc. of Scottsdale, Arizona for Skydio drones and related products and services and 14 additional body worn cameras in an amount not-to-exceed $4,506,801.18 and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the Amendment; and c) Approve Budget Amendment No. 27-017 appropriating $283,011.55 in increased expenditures in Account No. 01035355-811065 and $23,934.88 in Account No. 75304-811004 from the unappropriated General Fund balance.
DISCUSSION:
Drone Program Background and Vendor Selection
The NBPD, with support from the City Council, has prioritized technology improvements as part of its core mission to reduce crime and improve public safety in Newport Beach. In February 2025, the City Council approved the acquisition and use of BRINC drones and related systems for the NBPD’s drone-as-first-responder (DFR) program and a tactical drone. Since going live with DFR in September 2025, drone pilots have experienced continual aircraft instability and unreliability, loss of connectivity, poor image quality, and software problems with the DFR autonomous piloting system and drones.
In June 2026, as a result of ongoing operational challenges with BRINC, the NBPD entered a trial period with Skydio, using three drones and three docks to compare them with the existing BRINC drones. NBPD drone pilots immediately reported a marked improvement in operations when using the Skydio drones. None of the connectivity issues they faced when flying BRINC drones were experienced when flying Skydio drones. Furthermore, the camera quality was superior, and night operations were more effective, with Skydio’s nighttime video capabilities being far superior. Regular reports have been submitted, documenting superior performance from Skydio and untenable operational issues with BRINC.
After careful consideration and thorough testing, the NBPD’s drone team has vetted the operational effectiveness of Skydio drone products. With minimal performance issues, high reliability, improved image quality, and a highly responsive customer support team, staff determined that Skydio’s DFR program best meets the department’s needs. Skydio drones are currently used by neighboring agencies in Orange County with success, including by the Huntington Beach Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, and the Costa Mesa Police Department.If approved, the Skydio drones and all related systems and services would be purchased by amending the City of Newport Beach’s (City) existing agreement with Axon. Axon is a strategic partner and reseller of Skydio systems through a competitively bid and priced Sourcewell cooperative agreement, No. 101223-AXN. Sourcewell procurement processes meet the City’s request-for-proposal requirements, while saving staff time and saving funding through discounted cooperative pricing.
The costs for the agreement with BRINC were $445,015,80 per year in Years one, three and five and $420,495.10 in Years two and four, for a total not-to-exceed cost of $2,176,037.60. The agreement with BRINC was terminated effective September 9, 2026.
Drone Program Expansion
The requested Amendment would double the number of drones and docks in the NBPD drone program, providing 10 DFR drone/dock units strategically placed throughout the City, plus two patrol drones and one tactical drone. The expansion of the program will provide faster response times through better coverage of the City and will result in operational overlap in areas with a high volume of calls for service. Program expansion will also allow nearly continuous flight operations during critical incidents, planned special events, or unplanned, large-scale gatherings. During the recent Fourth of July holiday weekend, the NBPD utilized the Skydio DFR program drones and remote viewing systems very effectively to monitor large, unruly crowds and respond quickly to urgent calls for service, but were limited by the small number of drones available. The capability for continuous flight operations allows incident commanders and field supervisors to view events as they happen, enabling quick, effective response by field personnel.
Body Worn Cameras
The recent transfer of park patrol officers to the NBPD and a change in duties for parking control officers necessitate assignment of body worn cameras to these two work groups. The education/enforcement role and continual public contact of park patrol officers meet the policy standards requiring body worn cameras. Similarly, the shift in duties for parking control officers from strictly parking enforcement and traffic control to including taking traffic collision reports in the field increases their level of public contact and accountability. The Amendment provides 14 additional Axon Body 4 cameras with all related licenses, software, storage, warranties and scheduled hardware replacement at a cost of $23,934.88 per year.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Budget Amendment appropriates $283,011.55 in increased expenditure appropriations in the Police Department Drone Program account, 01035355-811065 and $23,934.88 in the Police Department Equipment Rental account, 75304-811004, from the unappropriated General Fund balance. The Budget Amendment appropriates both the first-year costs and the ongoing annual costs of the Amendment. An appropriation to cover ongoing costs for the Amendment will be added to the annual base budget in future fiscal years and will not need to be addressed again. The costs for infrastructure and commissioning of the five additional drone station locations requested in the Amendment will be covered by the existing expenditure budget set aside for drone program capital costs.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Staff recommends the City Council find this action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
NOTICING:
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A – Amendment No. Three to the Purchase, Installation and Maintenance Agreement with Axon Enterprise, Inc.
Attachment B – Budget Amendment No. 27-017
Amendment No. Three to the Purchase, Installation and Maintenance Agreement with Axon for Skydio Drones and Body Worn Cameras September 22, 2026
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