San Francisco police are planning to launch a drone-first-responder pilot in the SoMa neighborhood this fall, testing a new use of police drones in the area. As Southern Station prepares to absorb more territory and more calls for service under newly redrawn district boundaries, the SoMa pilot will test a neighborhood-specific model that sends drones for a first look at calls for service before officers arrive on scene.
Drone Program Details
The real-time information from the drones will help triage calls, with sworn officers reviewing drone footage to assess whether an officer is needed on site and what information responding officers need before they get there. The department expects to use a combination of Skydio and Aerodome drone platforms.
SFPD has used drones across the city since 2024, after voters approved Proposition E, which expanded the department’s ability to use surveillance technology. The drone pilot is expected to coincide with the Oct. 1 expansion of new police district boundaries, under which Southern Station will take on additional territory up to Market Street.
Response Time Concerns
Data shows police response times for lower-priority calls in SoMa have been as much as 55 percent slower than the citywide median, despite the neighborhood having one of the highest crime rates in the city. District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey, who represents SoMa, said he supports the drone-first-responder concept as a “force multiplier,” while cautioning that drones are not a substitute for police officers.
Original reporting: Mission Local — read the source article.
