Drone as a City Resource Program Launches in Fort Collins
Published on March 17, 2026
Contact: Communications & Public Involvement Office, City of Fort Collins, cpiocom@fortcollins.gov
In February 2026, the City of Fort Collins launched Drone as a City Resource (DCR)—an innovative, multi-agency initiative with Fort Collins Police Services (FCPS), City of Fort Collins Utilities (including light and power and water services) and Poudre Fire Authority (PFA) to position drones as a shared community resource for emergency response. The DCR uses Skydio X10 drones, stationed at two locations in the city (PFA Station 1 and Station 5) with a total of three dedicated drones. These drones provide rapid situational awareness ahead of responders on the ground.
“The DCR program gives us a bird's-eye view to quickly check out what's happening at a scene, while keeping our officers and residents much safer,” says FCPS Chief of Police, Jeff Swoboda. “We can make smarter choices right away, respond more effectively, and send exactly the right help to the right place.”
Deployment is not automatic for every 911 call; dispatchers and responders evaluate on a case-by-case basis whether DCR could help, prioritizing scenarios where aerial views improve safety and/or efficiency. The program emphasizes using drones for both low-priority calls—to avoid unnecessary resource dispatches—and high-priority incidents requiring enhanced scene intelligence.
“We are always looking for ways to make our responses safer and smarter, for our people and for the community we serve. This drone program, developed in partnership with Fort Collins Police Services and Fort Collins Utilities, does exactly that. By giving firefighters real-time situational awareness before they arrive on scene, we can better determine what resources are truly needed and reduce the number of engines responding to emergencies on our roads.
Our call volume has grown steadily for years, surpassing 25,000 in 2024. That kind of demand requires us to work efficiently. A drone in the sky means fewer unnecessary emergency responses, more firefighters available for critical training and ultimately, a higher level of service to our residents,” said PFA Fire Chief Derek Bergsten.
"Utilities is proud to partner with Fort Collins Police Services and Poudre Fire Authority in the Drone as a City Resource (DCR) program,” said Light and Power Director Travis Walker. “In addition to the benefits drones bring to the public safety sector, Utilities can utilize drones to monitor sites and equipment, do routine patrols of facilities, take measurements and readings from equipment, and tell our story by documenting work, outages and more."
FCPS maintains strict policies on all DCR drone operations to protect constitutional rights, privacy and FAA compliance. DCR drones may fly over private or residential property only while en route to an incident and rarely hover over residences unless justified under state and federal law. All drones feature advanced safety systems, including obstacle avoidance, visual sensors and parachute deployment for emergency descents.
Footage from DCR operations is securely stored on a CJIS-compliant platform (Evidence.com) in accordance with Colorado records retention schedules. Recordings are subject to public records requests, ensuring accountability and transparency.
“By collaborating across the City, we can share the drones, stations and know-how. That way, we get better coverage for the whole area without everyone having to buy and run their own separate systems,” said Chief Swoboda. “It's a smart, cost-effective way to improve scene awareness and make emergency responses quicker and more coordinated for everyone involved.”
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