Use of Drones

Uncrewed Aerial Systems

In 2019, the Oxnard Police Department began operating small uncrewed aerial systems (sUAS), more commonly known as “drones” for public safety operations.  Drones are tools that are rapidly becoming more integrated in public service, and have shown many safety-related uses.  By the end of 2024, our department has used them over 600 times.

 The Oxnard Police Department is committed to using drones in a specific, structured, and transparent manner that addresses common concerns that the public expresses about them. Only a handful of personnel will operate them, and they will be highly trained to pilot them.

The Oxnard Police Department’s drone use policy states: 

UAS Unit flights will be accomplished efficiently and safely while respecting the law and the privacy of the public. All UAS applications will obey Federal, State and City laws, and shall respect Constitutional rights, privacy rights, search and seizure regulations, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations. 

Read the Oxnard Police Department's Drone Policy

Click Here to Download

The policy also specifies categories for their use:

  • Incident documentation (traffic collision diagramming, crime scene diagramming)
  • Field operations support
  • Tactical operations support
  • Investigative support 
  • Area searches
  • Search and rescue
  • Explosive device investigation support
  • Hazardous material response operation support
  • Illegal fireworks enforcement
  • Firefighting operation support
  • Fire investigation support
  • Disaster / mass casualty event response and recovery operation support
  • Event planning and management
  • Aerial surveying and geographic information systems (GIS) support
  • Building and public works infrastructure inspection support

Our drones will not be used for random patrols, random surveillance, and will not carry weapons of any kind.

Drones as a First Responder

In December of 2024, the Oxnard City Council authorized the Oxnard Police Department to implement a “Drone as a First Responder” (DFR) program.   The Oxnard Police Department has partnered with BRINC Drones, a Seattle-based company who specializes in drones that are specifically made for public safety applications.  

With a DFR program, the Oxnard Police Department would establish pre-positioned drone “nests.”  Drones would be dispatched to certain call types.  The benefits of DFR include:

● Reducing response times:  A case study in Chula Vista, CA demonstrated that when dispatched, drones arrived on scene in a average on 92 seconds, otfen ahead of responding officers.

● Increasing efficiencies: In the above case study, police officers responding on the ground were able to be cleared about a quarter of the time, allowing them to focus on other activities.

● Improving officer and community safety, by providing vital information to responding officers prior to their arrival.

Learn more about Drone as a First Responder (video)

More Resources

Examples of drones being used to support patrol operations.  In both of the above cases, the drones were used to search for and locate suspects that had fled and were hiding.

The above photos depict the same location.  The photo on the left is from a drone’s vantage point during a search for a suspect, who is laying on the ground.  The photo on the right depicts the same location, but with thermal imaging.  In the photo at right, officers are approaching the suspect, who was taken into custody without incident.

This video provides a more detailed overview of Oxnard’s Drone as a First Responder (DFR) Program.  This video served as presentation material to the Oxnard City Council at its December 3, 2024 meeting.  The presentation also covers recognized public concerns, safeguards to ensure respecting privacy rights, department policy, documentation, and transparency (starting at 31 minute mark).

Police Department Contact Info