Gatlinburg's Public Safety Aviation Program has flown about 120 missions since becoming operational around mid-September, WVLT reported. The program uses three drones stationed around town to give police and fire crews an aerial view of emergencies before they arrive.
The three Skydio drones are housed at launch sites around town and are available 24 hours a day, according to WVLT. Ian Wedlock, a Gatlinburg firefighter and paramedic who manages the aviation program, told the station that dispatch can send a drone autonomously with a single button press after entering a call address. About seven trained pilots operate the system. The city has had a drone program in some form for roughly three years, but earlier versions had to be carried to a scene and launched there.
From Hand-Carried Gear to Autonomous Launch
Fixed launch docks have changed how quickly the aircraft can provide information: they can reach a scene in under a minute, and can fly in rain and winds up to about 28 mph, according to the station's report. Dispatch staff can watch calls live and route a drone automatically; officers can also pilot the aircraft and view its feed from a computer.
The aerial view may be especially useful in a city bordered by the Smokies, where some locations take longer to reach. Wedlock told WVLT that first responders' average response times range from two to five minutes and can be longer in areas with rural terrain; he said drones have arrived before other responders in about 70 percent of missions. Police Chief Ronnie Barrett told the station that officers may take one to one and a half minutes to reach a call, compared with about 20 seconds for a drone.
A Separate Fire Located by Drone
One example came on October 29, when firefighters were dispatched to a possible brush fire reported by a neighboring property owner. The drone found a structure fire on a different road and guided crews to it, according to WVLT. In a separate incident, Wedlock described a fire the drone located within 20 seconds of arriving; firefighters put it out within about four minutes. He also described a nighttime fire that crews extinguished before the structure was lost.
Wedlock told the station that drone video has saved crews 20 to 30 minutes in some instances by providing information while they are en route. In a July test at a downtown Gatlinburg hotel fire, thermal imaging showed which side of the roof was burning; infrared cameras later detected heat from a separate nighttime fire that crews were having difficulty locating. Wedlock also described how mountain terrain can leave crews with a view of only three sides of an overnight rental property, while a drone can show the unseen side and help indicate how far a fire has spread or whether it is being contained.
Wider Uses Beyond Structure Fires
The drones have also been used by police over the Fourth of July weekend and for Parkway calls involving crashes and property complaints, as well as to monitor river levels during heavy rain. The fire department, which also provides emergency medical services, can send a drone ahead to domestic violence calls to assess potential dangers. Interim Fire Chief Wayne Brandenburg's department says the system replaces a slower process in which firefighters waited for a battalion chief to arrive and walk around a building before committing crews.
City officials describe the program as support for police officers and firefighters, not a replacement for them. Wedlock said he would like to see it expand, while acknowledging that expansion will take time. The program comes as Gatlinburg approaches the 10th anniversary of the devastating 2016 wildfires that scarred the region. The City of Gatlinburg says the program was launched to enhance emergency response for both its police and fire departments.
What the 2016 Review Documents
The After Action Review of the November 28, 2016, Chimney Tops 2 firestorm documents communication problems during the response.
Part of a Fast-Growing National Trend
Gatlinburg's system is part of a broader rise in drone-as-first-responder programs. The Electronic Frontier Foundation reported that, as of February 2026, more than 1,000 public safety agencies had received FAA waivers needed to automate drone flights. The agency issued more waivers between April 2025 and February 2026 than in the previous seven years combined.
The National League of Cities, which has partnered with drone manufacturer BRINC to help municipalities with program design, governance, training and onboarding, says the basic model is the same everywhere: a drone launches immediately after a 911 call, often reaching the emergency before a human responder does. Other departments have reported notable results using the approach — Schenectady's police department said 64 percent of dispatched calls were cleared without sending officers after integrating dispatch data, while Queen Creek, Arizona, resolved a high-risk traffic stop in under seven minutes with drone assistance.
