Vancouver police deploy six Skydio drones as first responders
The VPD is Canada's first police agency to roll out Skydio X10 drones for emergency response. New body cameras can also translate 50+ languages in real time.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
Vancouver Police Department is unveiling what it claims is Canada's first Drone as First Responder Program, deploying six Skydio X10 remote-piloted systems across the city.
The drones have completed extensive testing and received full approval from Transport Canada. They're designed to respond to emergencies faster than traditional units, with landing pods stationed at strategic locations across the city.
If an officer is in trouble—being assaulted, for example—they can tap their body-worn camera three times to automatically deploy a Skydio drone to their exact location. Pilots can also fly drones to crimes in progress, arrive first, and send video feeds to responding officers and the Operations Command Centre, potentially providing better intelligence on situations and helping pursue suspects. The drones are weatherproof and can operate in various conditions.
The VPD is also rolling out 73 Fleet 3 in-car video systems with automated licence plate recognition cameras, new holsters for conducted energy weapons that automatically activate body cameras when drawn, and Axon body cameras capable of translating language in real time across more than 50 languages—a feature the VPD says is crucial for a multicultural city like Vancouver.
The department said all tools are designed with responsible AI and data use at their core, with safeguards for secure data handling and controlled access. "The AI does not make decisions about an individual, rather it gives the VPD the ability to respond more appropriately to emerging situations," the department said.