Answering the Top 5 Community Questions about DFR
When an agency moves to implement a Drone as First Responder (DFR) program, public reaction can range widely, but the proposal is almost never met with indifference. Citizens’ concerns about new technology being implemented is warranted, and it's the job of the proposing agency to quell any concerns, answer questions honestly, and provide transparency into how the program will function and what the drones can be used for. This week, we’ll help answer the most common questions community members have about DFR drone operations.
1. Is the drone being used for surveillance?
This is an extremely prevalent question when it comes to drone operations and it deserves a clear answer backed by policy. A properly implemented DFR program is reactive, and drones only launch in response to 911 calls. In DFR, drones do not typically patrol an area looking for activity and many agencies opt to keep the drone camera facing forward until the unit arrives on scene, when the camera will then be tilted downwards to assess the situation.
However, how a drone flies and what it records is entirely dependent on the agency implementing the program. Communities are right to ask that the “dispatch calls only” limitation be written into the program’s policy or into local ordinance, ensuring that there are necessary restrictions in place to protect the privacy and security of individuals in the community. If left unaddressed, drone operations become vague and public trust and support can be lost rapidly. In preparation for proposing a DFR program, be sure to answer this question proactively, with great detail, and tangible written policy.
2. Who can view footage and how long is it kept?
Another hefty concern for many citizens relates to the data drones record and how long an agency can retain this data. People have a right to know who has access to footage, on whose servers it is stored, whether it's shared with other agencies or the federal government, and how long an agency is authorized to retain this data.
Agencies that handle this well explicitly specify who owns the data (in most cases, the agency should solely own the data), define a specific retention period tied to evidentiary need, and publish the policy where the public can easily access this information. If your DFR vendor’s contract does not mention data ownership and retention, be sure to close this gap before the program launches to avoid ambiguity and maintain trust between all parties.
3. Can this technology be used against protestors, immigrants, or other minority groups?
This concern is raised due to documented patterns in agencies across the country. Research on manned police aircraft operations has found that drones are disproportionately flown over Black and Latino neighborhoods even if the crime rate is no higher than other areas. Similar disparities have been observed in at least one early DFR operations’ flight data. Civil liberties groups have also raised concerns about drones capturing sensitive activity unrelated to a 911 call when in the vicinity of reproductive health clinics, in the context of immigration enforcement, and during protests and demonstrations. There are also concerns about facial recognition software and plate-reading technology being implemented in the future. As of right now, Paladin does not offer facial recognition or plate-reading technology.
These risks are real and have already negatively affected the public in the communities where disparities have been observed. They are not avoidable through goodwill alone— meticulous policy must exist to prevent this activity within a DFR program. Agencies that publish deployment statistics by call type and by geography give the community and overseeing organizations a way to check the pattern for themselves rather than take it on faith.
4. Who is actually flying the drone, and what stops them from being misused?
Residents may assume that DFR drones are flying unregulated without any human oversight. As of right now, Paladin drones can launch autonomously and follow a GPS-planned route, but a trained pilot must observe the drone and operate under specific waivers filed through the FAA. Compliance with the FAA is a must for any drone program that wants to get off the ground, and with this comes regulations that dictate when and where the drones can fly.
Departments may also add additional policy in addition to what the FAA outlines. Defining when a drone can be launched, supervisory sign-off requirements, and audits of each flight are all measures that can be taken to hold agencies accountable for their drone usage and prevent inappropriate use. Strong DFR programs often pair internal management with external oversight, allowing a civilian review board, the city council, or other community groups to monitor usage and provide information to the public about the drone program. Agencies that resist outside advisory can generate more suspicion, make citizens uneasy, and lose the trust of the public regardless of how well the program is actually run.
5. Can I request the footage myself?
Oftentimes, individuals can request drone footage the same way they can request dash-cam or body-cam footage: through public records or FOIA process, with the same limitations. Some agencies get ahead of these requests by maintaining a public dashboard that lists every flight, the purpose, and the route taken, cutting down on individual information requests since much of what people want to know is already published.
The Bottom Line
All of these questions come down to the same themes: policy and transparency surrounding DFR implementation. A program built on clear deployment criteria, well-defined data retention guidelines, oversight from the community, and public access to reports and policy. Without a strong framework for how these aspects of DFR are handled, an agency may struggle to gain trust and approval from its community no matter how capable the hardware is.
Interested in a drone vendor that will work alongside your agency to develop a tailored program, attain FAA compliance, and advise through proposals? Book a free demo with Paladin to start your journey with the trusted name in DFR.
