St. Louis Police to Send Drones to 911 Calls

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department plans to deploy drones to respond to some 911 calls as the Board of Police Commissioners weighs proposed operating policies.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Law Enforcement

St. Louis Police to Send Drones to 911 Calls

Live Poll

Do you support St. Louis police using drones to respond to 911 calls?

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department plans to deploy drones to respond to some 911 calls, pending approval of proposed operating policies by the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners on Wednesday, November 4. The Police Board approved the drone program in May.

Why it matters

The drones would give responding officers a live aerial view of a scene before they arrive, helping them understand what they are walking into. The program has also raised concerns about privacy and surveillance, including whether drones could monitor protests and public gatherings.

The program has not yet begun responding to calls, and the Board of Police Commissioners will consider the proposed operating policies Wednesday. Final deployment rules and privacy safeguards remain undetermined pending that review.

The players

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department

The city's primary municipal police force, which is proposing and operating the drone program.

Robert Tracy

The St. Louis police chief who previously said he wanted all six drones operational by the end of 2026.

Cara Spencer

The St. Louis mayor who questioned how quickly the drone proposal was brought forward and whether there had been enough time to review it.

St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners

The body that approved the drone program in May and will consider the proposed drone operating policies Wednesday.

The details

Drones stationed at docking sites throughout St. Louis would be sent to emergency calls with the goal of arriving within minutes, potentially before officers. Police have said the drones will respond to specific calls for service rather than routinely patrol neighborhoods, and docking locations will be selected based on crime trends, 911 call volume, and police response patterns.

May 2026: The Police Board approved the original drone contract and plan.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 11 a.m.: Police news conference on the Aerial Response Unit and proposed policies.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026: Police Board meeting to consider proposed drone operating policies.
Friday, November 6, 2026: Drones could begin responding to certain 911 calls if policies are approved.
End of 2026: Police Chief Robert Tracy's target for all six drones to be operational.

Legal Context

St. Louis's plan to use BRINC drones for 911 response extends a platform already adopted by police departments elsewhere into routine emergency dispatch. The program's privacy and surveillance questions place it within the broader debate over police aerial surveillance tools.

Residents in areas served by the program could see drones arriving at certain 911 calls, with the aim of giving officers aerial information before they arrive. Privacy safeguards and deployment rules that would govern how the drones are used are still pending approval.

The takeaway

Residents can watch the Board of Police Commissioners meeting Wednesday to see how the proposed drone rules address privacy and when deployment would start. The outcome will show whether the program's safeguards match the public concerns raised so far.

What happens next

Police will hold a news conference Monday, November 2, at 11 a.m. to detail the Aerial Response Unit and proposed policies, and the Board of Police Commissioners will consider those policies Wednesday, November 4.