If you dial 911 in Bensalem these days, there is a decent chance the first responder will be buzzing overhead. Bensalem Township police have rolled out a "drone as first responder" program that sends small unmanned aircraft to emergency scenes within minutes, often arriving before officers on the ground. With the push of a button, the drones can hit speeds of up to 45 mph, livestream video back to commanders, and use thermal imaging to help search in the dark. The department says it currently flies two drones, has 22 trained pilots working out of a real-time crime center, and plans to add a third aircraft this summer.
How the program works
Sgt. Matthew Malcolm told WPVI the drones are "not to replace police officers" but to give commanders eyes on a scene before officers arrive. The aircraft can stream live video to supervisors and to officers heading to the call, and crews say they use those feeds to decide whether a full lights and sirens response is actually needed. Police say the drones will be sent to accidents, fires, shootings and other 911 calls.
Training and funding
The township announced the program in April and said state funding helped cover the equipment costs, crediting State Rep. K.C. Tomlinson for assistance, according to Bensalem Township's news release. The department also trained 12 new drone pilots through JRM Drone Service and UAV Coach, effectively doubling its drone unit, according to Patch.
Privacy safeguards and limits
Sgt. Glenn Vandegrift told WPVI the department's Part 91 waiver lets drones fly across the township without pilots keeping the craft in sight, and he said "we would not invade privacy." Officials say the drones will not be used for routine surveillance and that video is tied to specific incidents and evidence handling. Privacy advocates, however, warn similar drone-as-first-responder programs can creep into broader surveillance if there is no independent oversight, a trend examined by The Washington Post.
Drone-as-first-responder context
Drone-as-first-responder programs have spread quickly across the United States, with Chula Vista often cited as an early model and agencies reporting faster situational awareness and fewer unnecessary patrol deployments, according to Police1. Experts say successful DFR programs usually depend on waivers or certifications that allow flights beyond a pilot's visual line of sight, along with tight policies on how flights are run and how video and data are handled, per a guide from UAV Coach.
What to watch next
For Bensalem residents, that all adds up to another set of eyes in the sky for missing-person searches and fast-moving emergencies, plus one more drone slated to join the fleet this summer, officials say on Bensalem Township. The department says the drones act as a force multiplier that can cancel unneeded responses and keep both officers and drivers safer. Officials add that they plan to publish updates on the program if policies or flight rules change, so residents can track how often, and why, those drones are flying.
