Conroe Police Launch Drone-First-Response Program

The Conroe Police Department has launched a drone-as-first-responder program after the City Council approved the purchase of two Axon Air drones and two docking stations for about $230,000 in December.

City records show the purchase was approved as a one-year contract funded through Federal Justice Seized Assets funds. The council agenda item identified the purchase as “two Axon Air/Drone as a First Responder drones and two docking stations.”

The Houston Chronicle reported this week that the department is using the drones to provide video to officers before they arrive on scene, part of an effort officials said is intended to improve response times and officer awareness.

The city’s own policy manual adds detail on how the department governs drone use. General Order 3-43, the department’s unmanned aerial vehicles policy, says only authorized and licensed personnel may operate department drones and requires operators to hold a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 107 remote pilot license. The policy says pilots must obtain FAA authorization near airports when required and that all flights other than training flights must be tied to a computer-aided dispatch number and followed by an after-action report.

The policy also lays out limits on use. It says drone video surveillance equipment may not be used for random surveillance, discriminatory targeting, harassment or personal business for hire. It lists permitted uses including search and rescue, crime scene reconstruction, crash scene photography, in-progress suspect searches and hazardous material scenes, among other department-authorized deployments.

Editor's note: Part of this story was drafted by generative AI and edited by humans for accuracy, bias and clarity. Have feedback? Send it to Ben Miller.