Axon and Skydio partner to deliver scalable drone offering for public safety, including Drone as First Responder solution

Rhea-AI Summary

Axon and Skydio have partnered to launch an end-to-end drone solution for public safety, including a scalable 'Drone as First Responder' (DFR) system. The DFR allows drones to be dispatched to emergency calls, arriving before ground units to provide real-time situational awareness. This collaboration aims to improve incident response times, enhance safety, and optimize resource allocation. The offering includes Skydio’s autonomous drones, docking stations, and integrated flight control software, along with Axon’s real-time operations, crime center capabilities, and evidence management tools. This integrated solution promises to make DFR a reality for public safety agencies across the U.S., enhancing community safety and operational efficiency.

Positive

• Launch of end-to-end drone solution for public safety.
• Scalable Drone as First Responder system improves incident response times.
• Enhanced situational awareness for multiple stakeholders.
• Optimizes resource allocation and enhances officer and community safety.
• Collaboration with Skydio brings leading drone technology into public safety.
• Inclusion of real-time operations and evidence management through Axon.
• Potential to expand beyond public safety to other sectors.

Negative

• None.

Tech Expert

Axon and Skydio's partnership introduces a scalable Drone as First Responder (DFR) solution that leverages cutting-edge autonomous drone technology for public safety. Drones' capabilities to arrive before ground units at emergency scenes provide substantial benefits. They enable real-time situational awareness, which can be important for making informed decisions rapidly. The integration of Skydio’s autonomous drones and Axon’s real-time operations software creates a powerful synergy that maximizes efficiency and safety in incident response.

From a technology perspective, the inclusion of beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations stands out. Normally, drone operations require visual observers to maintain a line of sight, but with Dedrone's airspace awareness and deconfliction technology, this constraint is removed. This advancement allows drones to cover larger areas and be dispatched more flexibly, enhancing their utility and scalability.

For investors, the strategic collaboration is noteworthy. Both companies bring strong, complementary capabilities to the table. Skydio’s leadership in autonomous flight technology and Axon’s established presence in public safety solutions suggest potential for significant market penetration and growth. Given the increasing demand for advanced public safety tools and the proven benefits of DFR programs, this development positions both companies well for future expansions. However, the success of this initiative will depend on the adoption rate among public safety agencies and the regulatory landscape for drone operations.

Financial Analyst

Axon and Skydio’s collaboration to enhance public safety through DFR solutions offers compelling potential for revenue growth. Axon, already a well-established player in the public safety technology sector with a diversified product suite, stands to benefit significantly from integrating Skydio's advanced drone technology. Skydio’s specialization in autonomous drones complements Axon's offerings, creating a comprehensive solution that can appeal to a wide range of public safety agencies.

Financially, the partnership may open new revenue streams for Axon through the sale and management of integrated drone solutions. Additionally, Skydio may see increased sales and market penetration by leveraging Axon’s established customer base. Investors should monitor the adoption rates of these DFR solutions by public safety agencies, as broad adoption would likely translate to sustained revenue growth for both companies.

Nevertheless, this partnership also entails risks, particularly around regulatory approvals for BVLOS operations and the rate at which public safety agencies are willing to integrate and rely on drone technology. The potential for policy changes must be considered, as they can significantly impact the scalability and utility of the proposed solutions.

Market Research Analyst

The partnership between Axon and Skydio to deliver a scalable DFR solution is set against the backdrop of a growing trend in the implementation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in public safety. The market for drones in public safety is expanding due to their proven effectiveness in various applications. These include real-time situational awareness, locating suspects and de-risking vehicle stops.

Axon and Skydio are well-positioned to capitalize on this trend, offering a comprehensive suite that addresses multiple pain points in public safety. The ability to deploy drones as first responders that can provide information quickly and safely is a significant value proposition. Moreover, the flexibility to customize and scale these solutions to meet specific agency needs should drive higher adoption rates.

Investors should be aware of the competitive landscape. While Axon and Skydio are leaders in their respective fields, other players are also advancing in drone technology and public safety solutions. Keeping an eye on how this partnership differentiates itself through unique capabilities like BVLOS operations will be critical. Additionally, the effectiveness and performance of these integrated solutions in real-world scenarios will ultimately determine their success and market share.

Industry leaders join forces to bring technology and services to advance rapid incident response, augment resource allocation, and improve officer and community safety

SAN MATEO, Calif. and SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., June 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Axon (Nasdaq: AXON), the global public safety technology leader, and Skydio, the leading U.S. drone manufacturer and the world leader in autonomous flight, announced today the launch of an end-to-end offering for drones in public safety, including a scalable Drone as First Responder (DFR) solution.

Drone as First Responder allows agencies to deploy remotely piloted drones to emergency calls, often arriving before ground units and providing real-time situational awareness to multiple stakeholders from a safe vantage point. DFR has the ability to significantly improve incident response time, enable safer response strategies for officers and the community, and optimize resource allocation. Drones in public safety also support scenarios such as locating suspects and missing persons, de-risking vehicle stops, documenting incident scenes, and collecting evidence. A successful DFR program can provide critical information across an agency's operation or joint task force that can help de-escalate incidents and make the community safer. 

This expanded alliance brings together Skydio's leading drone technology with Axon's comprehensive suite of products for public safety, to make the promise of DFR a reality for agencies across the country. The offering includes U.S.-made autonomous drones, onsite docking stations, and integrated flight control software from Skydio; real-time operations, real-time crime center (RTCC) capabilities and evidence management from Axon, as well as fleet and program management through Axon Air Powered by DroneSense; and airspace awareness and deconfliction from Dedrone's innovative technology that enables DFR beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) without the need for visual observers. Enhancing accessibility to BVLOS operations will help to scale the benefits of DFR to more communities and use cases and, in the future, will further enable applications beyond the public safety sector. 

"Drones are the future of public safety. If we can provide first responders more time, more information and, effectively, more resources, we can drastically improve the way they protect our communities," said Axon Founder and Chief Executive Officer Rick Smith. "Skydio is the best drone technology partner to support our customers to further realize the value of DFR and will be a key component to our ultimate goal of protecting more lives in more places, including those of our officers."

"Skydio's mission to make the world more productive and safe through autonomous flight is perfectly matched with Axon's mission to protect life," said Skydio Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Adam Bry. "This is an exciting time for drones in public safety, as their impact expands from smaller, specialized teams to fundamentally transforming the nature of first response. We couldn't be more excited to deepen our partnership with Axon and bring to life our shared vision of making communities across the country, and around the world, safer."

With this offering, public safety agencies now have everything they need to customize and scale drones and DFR programs seamlessly. While the full DFR offering is the ideal solution for most customers, the partnership enables the flexibility to support unique agency needs and operational requirements. Each component is available to integrate with a range of other hardware and software options to customize their drone program as needed.

For more information on the role drones and DFR can play in keeping cities safe, read Axon's latest blog post; to learn more about how Skydio is innovating in the DFR space, read Skydio's latest blog post. To get started with drone solutions and DFR, visit www.axon.com/contact/drones.  

About Skydio
Skydio is the leading U.S. drone manufacturer and world leader in autonomous flight. Skydio leverages breakthrough AI to create the world's most intelligent flying machines for use by enterprise and government customers. Founded in 2014, Skydio is made up of leading experts in AI, robotics, cameras, and electric vehicles from top companies, research labs, and universities from around the world. Skydio designs, assembles, and supports its products in the U.S. from its headquarters in San Mateo, CA, to offer the highest standards of supply chain, manufacturing, and data security. Skydio is trusted by leading enterprises across a wide range of industry sectors and is backed by top investors and strategic partners including Andreessen Horowitz, Levitate Capital, Next47, IVP, Playground, and NVIDIA. For more information, follow Skydio on LinkedIn or visit Skydio.com.

About Axon
Axon is the technology leader in global public safety. Our moonshot goal is to cut gun-related deaths between police and the public in the U.S. by 50% before 2033. Axon is building the public safety operating system of the future by integrating hardware devices and cloud software solutions that lead modern policing, defense, and security. The Axon ecosystem includes TASER energy devices, body-worn cameras, in-car cameras, cloud-hosted digital evidence management solutions, productivity software, real-time operations capabilities, and third-party integrations through Axon's partner network. Axon's growing global customer base includes first responders across international, federal, state and local law enforcement, fire, corrections, and emergency medical services, as well as the justice sector, commercial enterprises, and consumers.

Non-Axon trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Protect Life and the Delta Logo are trademarks of Axon Enterprise, Inc., some of which are registered in the US and other countries. For more information, visit www.axon.com/legal. All rights reserved.

Follow Axon here:

• Axon on X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/axon_us
• Axon on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Axon.ProtectLife/

MEDIA CONTACT:
Alex Engel
Vice President, Corporate Communications
Press@Axon.com

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SOURCE Axon

FAQ

What is the new product offering from Axon and Skydio?

Axon and Skydio have launched an end-to-end drone solution for public safety, including a scalable 'Drone as First Responder' (DFR) system.

How does the Drone as First Responder (DFR) system work?

The DFR system allows remotely piloted drones to be dispatched to emergency calls, often arriving before ground units to provide real-time situational awareness to multiple stakeholders.

What are the benefits of the Axon and Skydio partnership?

The partnership aims to improve incident response times, enhance safety for officers and communities, and optimize resource allocation using advanced drone technology.

What components are included in the Axon and Skydio drone solution?

The solution includes autonomous drones, docking stations, integrated flight control software from Skydio, and real-time operations, crime center capabilities, and evidence management tools from Axon.

How will the Axon and Skydio partnership impact public safety agencies?

The partnership will provide public safety agencies with the tools to customize and scale their drone programs, improving their operational efficiency and response strategies.

What is the stock symbol for Axon?

Axon's stock symbol is AXON.