More than 1,000 U.S. public-safety agencies have received Federal Aviation Administration waivers that can let them launch or expand drone-as-first-responder programs, greatly increasing routine aerial surveillance. EFF says the Part 91 waivers, especially for beyond-visual-line-of-sight drone flights, surged after the FAA streamlined approvals in April 2025, enabling more autonomous and AI-assisted deployments. The expansion is tied to systems sold by companies including Flock Safety and Axon, and can increase storage, sharing, and analysis of drone video by police.
Why it matters: This is a major surveillance expansion affecting people in communities across the U.S., including in routine low-risk police calls rather than only emergencies. It matters because it increases persistent aerial monitoring and data collection, and local officials, advocates, and residents may need to scrutinize deployment rules, retention policies, and oversight before programs go live.
Beryl Lipton
2026.07.23
100% relevant
This article establishes a distinct story about a nationwide regulatory shift and rapid expansion of police drone surveillance, rather than updating a single breach, vulnerability, or previously tracked enforcement action.
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