Minneapolis committee holds hearing using drones as first responders

Minneapolis City Council members are holding a public hearing on Wednesday on a police program that would use drones as first responders . Drones as first responders in Minneapolis The council is considering a contract with Skydio, Inc for the "drones as first responders" pilot program. Under the contract, drones would be deployed to help police respond faster and more efficiently to 911 calls. The drones would serve as an "eye in the sky" for emergency responders before crews get on scene, allowing for them to make informed decisions. The drones would also help first responders root out unfounded or false calls quicker. In May, FOX 9 spoke with the Minnetonka Police Department, which is already utilizing the technology. Minnetonka police say out of roughly 600 flights, drones were first to the scene 65% of the time. In about one out of every five cases, they were able to clear the call without sending an officer. Six drones cost Minnetonka police about $260,000 a year to operate. But the department says the drones will save them money in the long run. "I do think this is the future of law enforcement. It's smart. You know, equip your officers with the right information. They're going to make better decisions. And this is a really useful tool to be able to do that," Deputy Chief Jason Tait told FOX 9. Other departments are also using similar drone programs, including Duluth and Brooklyn Park. Edina also began testing their program this year. Public hearing on drones A public hearing will be held on Wednesday afternoon as part of the Public Health, Safety and Equity Committee meeting. FOX 9 will carry part of the public hearing on All Day. You can watch it live here .