Part 107 operations
Flying under the commercial small-UAS rule, with certificated remote pilots.
We bought a drone. We did not build a UAS program.
Owning an aircraft does not create an operational capability. Departments need trained pilots, regulatory authority, airspace procedures, maintenance, training, data-management rules, deployment criteria, command integration and a plan for maintaining proficiency.
Technology approaches
Public Aircraft Operations
Flying under a government agency's own authority, with the responsibilities that carries.
COA and waiver processes
The authorisations for flying where or how the base rule does not allow.
Standardised pilot training
A syllabus and currency requirement, rather than whoever bought the aircraft.
Mission-specific proficiency testing
Measured performance on the tasks the department actually flies.
Data retention and evidence policy
What is kept, for how long, who can see it, and what becomes a public record.
Program governance
Who owns the programme, its budget, its policy and its maintenance.
Companies working in this area
Listed alphabetically, not ranked. Everything below is reported by the company itself. Being listed is free and is not a recommendation — use the questions above when you talk to any of them.
Axon
Axon Air
Axon Air provides drone-as-first-responder hardware, software, live video, and regulatory support for public safety agencies.
Visit website →DroneControl
DroneControl Software Ecosystem
A secure drone operations platform for fire and emergency services, combining flight operations, live video, incident collaboration, automated flight logs, media management, pilot management and fleet compliance.
Visit website →DroneSense
DroneSense Platform
DroneSense helps public safety agencies fly, manage, map, stream, and collaborate around drone operations.
Visit website →Flock Safety
Flock DFR
Flock DFR is a drone-as-first-responder system that launches drones to provide live incident video and scene awareness.
Visit website →Fotokite
Fotokite Sigma
Fotokite Sigma is a tethered UAS that provides fire and public safety teams with live aerial situational awareness.
Visit website →Skydio
Skydio Solution for Fire Service
Skydio provides drones and software for fire service drone-as-first-responder, incident intelligence, thermal imaging, and mapping.
Visit website →
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Evidence and research
Government, standards and peer-reviewed sources on this problem. Every address here was checked before it was published.
Official resource
Public Safety UAS
The FAA's own material for public-safety operators, including the choice between Part 107 and public aircraft operations.
Why it matters
This choice shapes training, waivers, record keeping and liability, and it is made before the first flight.
Official resource
Certificates of Waiver or Authorization (COA)
How an agency obtains authorisation to fly where or how the standard rule does not permit.
Why it matters
The paperwork that decides whether you can fly the mission you bought the aircraft for.
Official resource
Advanced Operations
Beyond visual line of sight and other operations that need more than the base rule.
Why it matters
Where drone-as-first-responder programmes run into the regulatory limits.
Official resource
Public Safety Toolkit
The FAA's collected material for agencies standing up or running a UAS program.
Why it matters
Written for exactly this audience, by the regulator that decides what you may fly.
Hub guide
UAS Basics for Public Safety
Related guide on the Hub.
How these sources are labeled
- Official resource
- A government or standards body. Neutral, no commercial interest.
- Hub guide
- Written by the Hub.
Nothing here is paid placement. Links are chosen because they are the clearest explanation we could find, and labeled so you know who wrote them.