Running a Drone as First Responder (DFR) program is one thing. Keeping it staffed 24 hours a day is another challenge entirely. That’s the problem California-based Flying Lion is trying to solve with a new Remote Staffing Service designed to help public safety agencies and security organizations keep drone operations running around the clock, without having to hire and train enough in-house pilots to cover every shift.
The new offering combines Flying Lion’s own pilot management software with a network of trained remote pilots who can take control of drone missions as requests come in. The service is aimed at police departments, municipalities, public safety agencies, and commercial security operators looking to expand or maintain DFR operations.
The launch comes as Drone as First Responder programs continue gaining momentum across the US. Instead of waiting for officers to arrive at a scene first, DFR systems dispatch drones immediately after a 911 call or other incident is reported, providing live aerial video that can help responders assess situations faster. But operating those programs continuously requires qualified pilots available at all hours — a staffing challenge that has become a growing hurdle for many agencies.
Flying Lion says its remote pilots can either work directly alongside personnel inside an agency’s Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC) or Security Operations Center (SOC), or provide support remotely through the company’s own operations center. Agencies that require law enforcement experience can also request current or recently retired sworn officers to serve as remote pilots.
According to the company, the service is platform-agnostic, meaning it isn’t tied to a specific drone manufacturer, dock, or flight software. That flexibility could make it easier for agencies with existing drone fleets to integrate the service without replacing hardware or changing software ecosystems.
“Our team can seamlessly support virtually any combination of hardware and software an agency chooses to deploy,” says Flying Lion founder and president Barry Brennan. He adds that the combination of experienced remote pilots and flexible technology can help organizations expand into true 24/7 DFR and security operations, with pilots able to take control of missions within minutes of an automated or manual flight request.
Flying Lion also says its custom-built application suite manages the entire lifecycle of an on-demand drone mission. That includes dispatching flights, tracking incident outcomes, maintaining communication with dispatchers and watch commanders, monitoring airspace awareness during beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, and automatically generating end-of-day reports.
The company believes the service could appeal to agencies facing staffing shortages, launching new drone programs, or simply looking to reduce operational costs. Instead of maintaining a large in-house team of certified pilots, organizations can scale staffing based on demand while continuing to provide around-the-clock aerial coverage.
Founded in 2014, Flying Lion says it has supported more than 120,000 drone flights across law enforcement, public safety, municipal, and commercial security operations, making it one of North America’s more experienced providers of DFR-related drone services.
As more agencies prepare for wider BVLOS operations and increasingly rely on drones for emergency response, services that address the people behind the controls — not just the aircraft themselves — could become just as important as the drones flying the missions.
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