Nearly 2,000 public safety professionals gathered in Phoenix for AXON Week 2025, where the conversation focused on the future of drones—not just as emergency tools, but as essential city infrastructure. AXON, a global leader in public safety technology, highlighted its Drone as First Responder (DFR) programs and the expanded capabilities brought by its 2024 acquisition of Dedrone, a leader in airspace security, and partnership with US drone manufacturer Skydio.
“Drones Everywhere”: The Vision for Urban Infrastructure
Vern Sallee, former Chula Vista Police Captain and now Axon Air Strategist, captured the event’s forward-looking energy: “When you think about drones becoming ubiquitous in docks throughout a jurisdiction, it’s being led by public safety—those use cases have been proven—but when you look at it as an infrastructure product, that’s where the future is going to be.”
Sallee emphasized that while cities are eager to invest in public safety, the real return comes when drone infrastructure is shared across agencies. “Once that infrastructure is in place, it can be used between public safety missions by other city departments.”  Applications like building inspection, pre-storm analysis, post-storm recording, FEMA claims, and more are all easy next steps for cities who have invested in drone-in-a-box infrastructure.
The Hive Concept: Persistent Coverage, Seamless Operations
A key innovation is Skydio’s “hive” model—deployments of two or more Skydio docks in a single location. This allows multiple drones to rotate in and out for battery swaps, ensuring there’s always a drone in the air when it’s needed most. “If you need continuous situational awareness, you can have multiple docks—a hive—so you don’t take an eye off the situation for basically an unlimited period of time,” Sallee explained. This is vital for major incidents, public events, or any scenario requiring uninterrupted aerial coverage.
Autonomy: High, Low, and Everywhere in Between
Sallee says that Skydio’s autonomy sets it apart, enabling drones to fly not only higher for broad situational awareness but also lower—close to the ground and near obstacles—where manual piloting would be risky. Sallee noted, “The autonomy provides different capabilities—you can fly very low as well as higher. The drone can see and avoid obstacles, unlocking the capability to fly anywhere—even places a very experienced pilot wouldn’t risk BVLOS.” This precision allows drones to inspect building facades, look into vehicles, or navigate tight urban spaces, expanding their utility far beyond traditional aerial views.
Uninterrupted Connectivity in Urban Environments
A major pain point for drones has been maintaining reliable communication in cluttered urban or GPS-denied environments. Skydio’s answer is Connect Fusion, which seamlessly combines point-to-point radio, 5G, and LTE cellular networks. This multi-modal connectivity ensures the Skydio X10 can switch between the best available network during a mission, maintaining continuous control and video streaming even in dense cities or areas with weak GPS signals. As Sallee described from his own experience, “When I fully understood how good the Skydio was was in San Francisco—we flew right through high buildings, in between skyscrapers, valleys, hills.  It really works.”
DedroneBeyond: Unlocking Routine BVLOS Operations
The integration of Dedrone’s DedroneBeyond technology is another critical piece of drone dock infrastructure. Traditionally, FAA regulations have limited routine Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flights, but DedroneBeyond provides advanced airspace intelligence using radar, RF detection, and AI-driven cameras. This enables safe, routine BVLOS flights up to 400 feet, without the need for visual observers, and covers wide areas with minimal infrastructure.
Sallee summed up the impact: “The AxonAir solution uses DedroneBeyond to provide accurate airspace awareness, enabling BVLOS flight at higher altitudes without a visual observer. The equipment gives you the ability to confidently handle anything within a jurisdictional area.”
Integration with AXON: Seamless Response and Transparency
The DFR solution is fully integrated with AXON’s suite, including body-worn cameras and evidence management. When an officer requests drone support, the Skydio piloting interface shows the officer’s location as a blue column, streamlining coordination and improving situational awareness. This integration not only enhances officer safety but also supports transparency and accountability—core values that Sallee believes are essential for community trust.
The Road Ahead: Drones as Everyday Tools for Every Agency
Sallee’s vision is clear: “Drones are evolving rapidly. With autonomy and persistent coverage, it’s a short step to allowing any city agency to utilize drones between emergency calls.” He sees a future where drones are as common as utility vehicles, serving not just police and fire, but public works, building inspectors, and emergency managers.
“In the end, the human is sometimes the weak link in the operation. People get tired, they lose concentration. With autonomy, we can let the technology do the heavy lifting, and bring humans in when it matters most.”
As AXON and Skydio continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible, the promise of drones as true city infrastructure—serving every department, every day—moves closer to reality.
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