Public Safety

Did that marketing video seem too good to be true? It probably is.

A drone dealer telling you to not buy into the hype of drone marketing probably seems weird but the fact is, public safety is the target of more sensationalized, deceptive marketing than any other industry. Your job is hard enough as it is. You shouldn't have to spend time in the car or back at the station trying to figure out what's hype and what's a legitimate feature or product that you should budget for. That's where we come in. If you haven't already, you'll figure out that we tend to call it like we see it and that goes for helping public safety pick the right equipment, too.

Tools don't need to be shiny and new. They need to work.

It's 2023 and public safety departments like yours are still dealing with one of the most difficult climates they've ever endured. Budgets are being cut and it's becoming even harder for you to get the tools you need so when you finally get them, you need to make sure they work and they work well. When life and property is on the line, you cannot afford to be somebody's beta tester.

The challenge we are all facing right now is the speed at which drone technology is moving. It seems like there's a new product or drone model coming out every week with very little mention of the tried-and-true workhorses in the field saving lives and protecting property right now. We're here to help you identify those solutions and ensure the equipment you buy will continue to be supported for years to come, not just until the next big thing that always seems to be "coming soon."

Reflection is often the best preparation.

We can name a handful of calls from our own agencies where we know without a doubt a drone could have saved a life. It's tragic and often difficult to think about, but the first recommendation we make to agencies, especially those just getting started with drones, is to look back on previous calls and identify several clear areas where drones could have immediately proved their value. They often involve the death or injury of citizens or, sadly, one of our own, but that is why we are here. We are here to equip as many public safety agencies with the tools they need to immediately save lives so that everyone gets home safe.

Your mission chooses the drone. The drone doesn't choose the mission.

Once you know your mission, choosing the drone gets a lot easier. By clearly defining where you'll use them, how you will use them, who will use them, and what intelligence you need from them, your choices will present themselves.

Looking for a portable, quick-deploy drone to keep in the car? Systems like the DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise Series or Autel EVO II Pro V3 640T will be perfect. Looking for a larger drone that can fly longer and carry more powerful sensors and something like a spotlight or speaker? The DJI Matrice 350 RTK, Autel EVO Max 4T, and DJI Matrice 30 Series are the answer. All incredibly powerful, useful tools that can be put to work immediately saving life and property for your department and your citizens.

Avoid the hype. It's mostly just noise.

We've already covered this but it deserves to be repeated. You're going to be presented with more hype and noise than any other industry. Don't be overwhelmed by all of the options and specs. Let us help you make sense of it and relate it to how you'll actually be using it.

Don't let your department fall victim to "pay to play" sales strategies.

We've all been there whether it was a department purchase or our own. We buy the latest and greatest piece of technology only to find out that to do a portion of the awesome things the materials said it could do, you have to pay. But, what about the thousands we just spent to purchase the hardware? Odds are, the word "available" or that pesky little asterisk was somewhere in that material and when you see that, most of the time it means just one thing...licensing fees and $$$.

By working with us, you can rest assured we'll be the first to tell you about the capabilities and limitations that come out of the box, rather than selling you what's on our shelf and letting you figure it out later.

Software is where the rubber meets the road...and it's where you'll measure it, too.

We did just spend almost the entire last section warning you about the woes of software licensing. Hear us out. Software can bring the best out of your drone; whether it's mapping an accident scene or managing your fleet and live streaming the video back to command. But you have to be careful. There are some features and capabilities coming out on new drones or being added to older drones that require additional fees to enable them. Sadly, those fees are often hidden or wrapped into complex licensing agreements.

Everybody wants a piece of the pie.

From the app you use to fly the drone itself to the thermal software you need to interpret and report on the data, each manufacturer does it in their own way. The apps themselves are simple and easy to use, but figuring out and remembering which app or software does what for which drone can be daunting. As First Responders who actively deploy drones on our own calls, we're here to help make sense of it all and cut straight to the chase to show you the immediate value your drone will bring your department and your citizens.