The fourth Strategic Scan, Drone as First Responder (DFR) Program was launched by the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) Center for Innovation (CPSE CFI). DFR programs are characterized in this paper as operations when a drone arrives on the scene first and provides real-time video footage. First responders and their knowledge are not intended to be replaced by these programs. 

The Strategic Scan, which was conducted in May and June 2026, provides information on the number of accredited agencies that presently run or work together on a DFR program, the most typical drone deployment response types and how those programs are piloted. The research also outlines the most frequent response adjustments based on drone footage, including raising or lowering alarm levels and adding, decreasing or realigning resources.

The survey utilized to produce this Strategic Scan report was shorter than earlier surveys because of the recent introduction of DFR programs. Instead of focusing on practical lessons, CPSE CFI is working with members of our Industry Advisory Council to create an implementation guide for ethical and successful DFR initiatives. We formed a task group by selecting seven geographically different departments based on the survey results. To learn more about the operationalization of their programs, representatives from those departments with experience in their agency' DFR programs are taking part in three one-hour virtual talks.

"We’re excited about this fourth strategic scan on DFR programs because we’re using a mixed methods approach,” said CPSE CFI Board Vice President Alexander Henderson, Ph.D., CTO, Associate Professor, Marist University. “This allows us to get the breadth of information from a larger number of survey respondents and then build our qualitative data collection efforts with our task force in a more targeted manner. The depth of information that this group has provided will allow us to build that a substantive implementation guide for departments considering a DFR program."

“Participating in the Drone as First Responder Task Force has been a valuable opportunity for our department—not just to advance our own capabilities, but to learn alongside our peer agencies across the country,” said CPSE Board President Derek Bergsten, CFO, CEMSO, CTO, PIO, Fire Chief of the Poudre Fire Authority. “Hearing how other departments approached the same challenges we faced, from airspace coordination to real-time video integration with dispatch, gave us insights we couldn't have developed in isolation. This kind of shared learning is what makes public safety innovation move faster and smarter. We're grateful to have been part of a cohort that was so willing to share what worked, what didn't, and what they'd do differently. That candor made all of us better prepared to bring this technology safely into our communities.”

The Strategic Scans are part of its Actionable Research program. For this report, they surveyed fire chiefs of departments accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International.

Download the CPSE CFI Strategic Scan on Drone as First Responder Programs here.