Citywide drone response in action - Lessons from Wichita

Synopsis

Hosted by Phil Gonshak with Mayor Lily Wu and Chief Joe Sullivan, the webinar showcased how Wichita is turning its aviation DNA into a modern public safety advantage with Skydio. In 2024 the city bought six Skydio X10s and launched pilot training with Wichita State University. By 2025 it had three docks, three training classes, and twenty-nine certified pilots, with full DFR going live from the Real-Time Information Center. Sullivan emphasized hard-won FAA compliance, a public flight-transparency dashboard, and a deliberate de-escalation mindset, using drones to get eyes on barricaded suspects, guide officers into large events like Riverfest, find missing children, and even curb property crime by preventing dangerous pursuits.

Wu framed the effort as part of a broader smart city vision, with innovation grounded in research partnerships such as WSU and WSU Tech, and community trust built through upfront engagement. Looking ahead, Wichita is expanding Drone as First Responder beyond policing to fire, public works, and infrastructure inspections, treating drones as citywide infrastructure rather than a single-department tool. The program’s cross-department collaboration, including docks on fire stations and RTIC interns from WSU, lowers costs while raising capability, creating a transparent, data-driven model other cities can copy. The throughline is simple and compelling: pair autonomy with accountability, use data to earn buy-in, and scale responsibly, from today’s rapid response and scene assessment to tomorrow’s payload missions like Narcan delivery, so Wichita can respond faster, act smarter, and keep its community safer without sacrificing trust.