TOLEDO, Ohio — The Toledo Police Department has been named as one of nine public safety agencies across Ohio to participate in a new state-led drone response initiative.
The program, known as the Drone First Responder Pilot Program, was recently introduced by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) in partnership with DriveOhio. SkyfireAI will oversee management of the technology during the pilot phase.
As part of the one-year trial, Toledo Police will deploy “drone-in-a-box” systems designed to launch quickly and provide live aerial video during emergency situations. Officials say the goal is to strengthen situational awareness, enhance response times, and improve officer safety through real-time intelligence from above.
Drone operations are expected to begin as early as late spring. Throughout the year-long pilot, agencies will assess the program’s performance and determine whether the technology should be expanded statewide.
Further details about officer training, implementation timelines, and community rollout are expected in the coming months. Additional information about the initiative is available through DriveOhio.
Listen Live: Sweet 419
Toledo’s 80s & 90s station — music and local headlines all day.
