The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) announced today that it will launch its first-ever Drone as First Responder (DFR) pilot program on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. The pilot, which will be launched in partnership with the Hawai‘i State Department of Law Enforcement (DLE), seeks to strengthen emergency response and public safety.

DFR programs are well-established at law enforcement agencies across the country and have consistently improved service to the community by reducing 911 call response times, improving the chances of locating and apprehending suspects, enhancing officer safety, and increasing situational awareness so officers can make better-informed decisions in protecting the public.

“Our responsibility is to provide the highest level of service and safety to our community,” said Chief of Police David Lazar. “As technology evolves, we have a responsibility to thoughtfully embrace innovations that improve public safety. Drone technology is one of those tools, and we’re grateful that our partnership with the Department of Law Enforcement will make that possible.”

A DFR program uses drones to respond to certain 911 calls ahead of officers on the ground. During preliminary testing, HPD’s drones responded to incidents within the Honolulu area in as little as 30 seconds.

That valuable time can provide responding officers with critical information about the situation, including the number of people involved, potential hazards, and whether additional officers or specialized resources may be needed before anyone arrives on scene.

“The camera of a deployed drone can immediately determine if the person has a weapon while also capturing the person’s physical description and specific location in live-mode, enabling responding officers to make effective decisions before arriving on scene. Drones as the first responder helps deescalate extremely dangerous situations and leads to the faster apprehension of suspects,” said Director of Law Enforcement Mike Lambert.

“Situational awareness helps officers better understand what they are responding to before they arrive, which enhances officer safety,” said Assistant Chief Brian Lynch of HPD’s Special Field Operations Bureau. “A well-informed officer who doesn’t have to respond blindly is better equipped to make sound decisions, ultimately leading to better service to the public.”

DFR technology can also help officers and supervisors to determine the appropriate personnel and resources needed for an incident before they arrive. In some cases, a piloted drone may quickly determine that a reported incident has already resolved or no longer requires an in-person police response. This allows officers to remain available for higher-priority emergencies while ensuring calls are still assessed promptly.

DFR drones will be deployed only in response to 911 calls from the public or calls for assistance from other HPD personnel. Drones will not be used for random surveillance, intelligence gathering, or monitoring without a defined mission.

Examples of incidents that may qualify for drone deployment include:

• Crimes in progress or high-priority calls requiring immediate situational awareness;
• Search and rescue operations;
• Hazardous material incidents or disaster-related assessments;
• Major traffic collisions or roadway hazard evaluation;
• Crowd management or large-scale public events;
• High risk tactical operations (active threat, barricaded subjects, hostage situations);
• Requests from patrol units for drone assistance

Protecting privacy, maintaining transparency and building community trust are central to HPD’s implementation of its DFR pilot. Drone operations will be governed by department policy and conducted in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

HPD representatives have visited neighborhood board meetings and met with community members to explain the pilot, answer questions and listen to feedback. The department will continue meeting with neighborhood boards, community organizations and residents throughout the pilot. Community feedback will help inform HPD’s evaluation of the program and any decisions about its future use.

HPD also launched a public information webpage at www.HonoluluPD.org/DFR. The page includes information about the program, HPD’s DFR policy, frequently asked questions, a community feedback email ([email protected]) and more.

“As we begin this exciting new program, transparency will remain at the core of everything we do,” said Chief Lazar. “We want the community to understand how these drones are being used, why they’re being used, and the safeguards that are in place. We encourage everyone to learn more about the program and share their questions, feedback, and suggestions.”

During the first phase of DFR, FAA-certified HPD pilots will operate Skydio X10 and Skydio R10 drones provided by the DLE. The program will operate from HPD’s Alapaʻi Headquarters and serve District 1—Downtown, Chinatown, Nuʻuanu, Makiki, Ala Moana, and Kakaʻako—and District 5—Kalihi, ʻIwilei, Kapālama, ʻAlewa, Moanalua, and Salt Lake.

HPD will evaluate operational results, community feedback and public safety needs before determining whether and how the DFR program may be expanded islandwide.  

For more information about HPD’s DFR program, visit www.HonoluluPD.org/DFR.