Police Drone Deployments
Police departments across four cities use drones to safely locate and apprehend suspects
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Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn said coordination through the department’s Public Safety Information Center helped officers take the two men into custody without anyone being injured; he also noted the department had used drones to help with wildfires.
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In Auburn, police said the suspect noticed the drone and raised his hands, then stayed at the location while it maintained visual contact until officers arrived.
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Reno’s drone fleet is made up of docked quadcopters at three stations around the city; the program logged more than 11,000 deployments in the first seven months of 2026, according to 2News Nevada.
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Reno police recovered a 9mm handgun with no serial number and a spent shell casing at the scene. The report also describes a July case in which a drone kept sight of an armed-assault suspect who fled after crashing a vehicle, helping officers contain and arrest him.
Police departments across the country are deploying drones to catch suspects faster and safer than ever before. In Boulder, a drone found two men threatening each other with guns in under two minutes, leading officers to arrest a wanted felon and recover a gun and drugs KDVR. From Oregon to Nevada, departments are using these tools to reach dangerous scenes quickly and keep officers out of harm's way.
The results are striking: drones reach crime scenes before officers arrive, spot suspects hiding in brush, and maintain visual contact until ground teams take over. But the rapid expansion of police drone programs is raising questions about privacy and cost, especially in cities like Reno where the technology logs thousands of deployments each year 2News Nevada.
Boulder Officers Capture Felon in Under Two Minutes
Boulder Police deployed a drone after a call came in about two men menacing each other with guns. The drone located both suspects in under 120 seconds. Officers moved in and arrested a wanted felon with active warrants. Police recovered a loaded handgun and drugs at the scene KDVR. Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn said coordination through the department's Public Safety Information Center was critical. No one was injured during the arrest.
Oregon Drones Track Burglary Suspects Through Brush
Redmond Police used their newly acquired drones to find two burglary suspects who fled into undeveloped brush after stealing more than $3,000 in goods from Coastal Farm and Ranch Supply. A 911 call reported the theft around 5:30 a.m. on September 29. The drone spotted one woman hiding in thick brush where ground officers alone would have struggled to search Central Oregon Daily. Both suspects were arrested and the stolen merchandise was recovered.
Auburn Drone Watches Suspect Until Officers Arrive
Auburn Police sent a drone to a commercial burglary scene and the aircraft reached the location before any officers did. The suspect spotted the drone overhead and raised his hands. He remained at the scene while the drone kept him in view Auburn Police. When ground units finally arrived, they took him into custody without incident. The drone's ability to track suspects reduced the time officers spent searching and lowered risk for everyone involved.
Reno Expands Drone Fleet Despite Privacy Concerns
Reno Police operates docked quadcopters at three stations across the city, giving them rapid response capability. In the first seven months of 2026 alone, the program logged more than 11,000 deployments 2News Nevada. In one case, a drone helped officers locate and detain a man accused of firing at another person. Police recovered a 9mm handgun with no serial number and a spent shell casing. However, Reno's expanding drone program has drawn criticism from residents concerned about surveillance and the cost of maintaining the fleet.
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