Redlands Police drone deploys on e-bike chase, mental health call, armed standoff

Community Forward Redlands: Redlands Police are using their drone program more often during patrol calls, with three deployments in the week of May 13. The department's "Drone as First Responder" program — also called "Mav-1" — launched earlier this year and gives officers aerial views before they arrive on scene.

On May 13, the drone tracked an e-bike rider who fled a traffic stop through residential alleys to a residence where officers made an arrest. On May 17, it located a man in a mental health crisis, letting officers connect him with services. Later that day, the drone watched an apartment-complex garage before officers arrived on an armed-suspect call; police arrested a juvenile, and a second suspect was still outstanding as of the department's May 21 update.

Police departments across California have moved toward drone-first-responder models for pursuits, searches, and scene monitoring in recent years.