These drones could cut emergency response times to under two minutes, but at what cost?
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Flock initially gained this capability when it purchased drone firm Aerodome, which sells drones with high-definition video, thermal imaging, and other onboard capabilities. It’s also not the only company advertising similar services, with one startup advertising a Starlink-connected first responder drone that lets it operate outside the range of its base station.
Some of the cities that are considering, have run a pilot project, or have signed a contract with Flock for its DFR system include Fort Worth, Texas; Castle Rock, Colorado; Dunwoody, Georgia; Fulton County, Georgia; and Middletown, Connecticut. Fort Worth said that during the two-month pilot program, the drone was deployed to 162 emergency 911 calls, with an average response time of 112 seconds. It was also the first unit to arrive in 76 of these calls and even allowed the authorities to clear 11 of them without needing to send officers to the scene. Furthermore, the city said that these units only respond to calls and do not patrol the skies over Fort Worth, and that the cameras on board their drones are pointed at the horizon until they reach the scene.
The company has recently been surrounded by controversy, especially when it comes to the misuse of its system and the apparent lack of security , despite the company maintaining that it has never suffered a data breach . Despite that, Middletown Police Chief Erik Costa was quoted telling CT Insider, “The drone’s purpose is not surveillance; it’s first response.” He also added that drone footage from the city “would not be shared…outside the building unless there is a search warrant” and that unused video recordings “would be erased within 30 days.”
Flock seeks to have security researchers' map of Flock cameras taken down
Key considerations
- Investor positioning can change fast
- Volatility remains possible near catalysts
- Macro rates and liquidity can dominate flows
Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/drones/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/drones/flock-drones-with-cameras-deployed-as-first-responders-in-some-us-cities-amid-privacy-concerns-uavs-connect-to-wider-emergency-services-system-and-streams-video-to-dispatchers-officers#main
- https://www.tomshardware.com/membership
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Informational only. No financial advice. Do your own research.