13 March 2025

The Miami Beach Police Department is cracking down on rowdy revelers and other troublemakers during the March Spring Break season. But the move to keep the public and partiers safe is not enacted solely by putting more officers in place. The police efforts are being enhanced by an eye in the sky. 

Part of a $2 million dollar investment funded partially by a general obligation bond approved by voters, the department is launching a Skydio X10 drone as a "first responder." as well as a Real Time Intelligence Center for monitoring data. This is the first such system in Florida, and one of only five initiatives across America to implement the Skydio X10 as a comprehensive "drone as first responder" program.

“Miami Beach is at the forefront of pioneering technology to revolutionize public safety,” said Mayor Steven Meiner. “The Real Time Intelligence Center and Drone as a First Responder Program equip our police department with exceptional tools, ensuring swift and decisive action to protect our community.”

The Real Time Intelligence Center will serve as the nerve center for all of the surveillance and intelligence operations of the Miami Beach Police Department—which include the Skydio X10 drone that delivers aerial video to officers, data from approxiomately 850 cameras, 30 license plate readers, social media threat monitoring, and a marine radar system that tracks activity along the coast.

“A call goes out and the drone is remotely deployed," said Miami Beach Police Chief Wayne Jones. "That drone actually gets to the scene of the crime prior to police officers getting there. This initiative places Miami Beach at the forefront of public safety and innovation, and enforces our commitment to leverage technology to protect our city and its residents.”

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