What was once science fiction is now a reality. Advanced security tools are no longer reserved for blockbuster spies on the big screen. That technology is now real-world ready—accessible to law enforcement, businesses, and security teams to help protect life, secure assets, and deter crime. Axon, a company dedicated to protecting life through innovation, is leading the charge.
Founded on TASER energy devices and later introducing body-worn cameras, Axon’s mission is to protect life by equipping law enforcement, prosecutors, businesses, and beyond with tools to enhance safety and accountability.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Axon found that enterprises were facing an increasingly complex security landscape marked by rising threats and limited resources. Security incidents like workplace violence and customer confrontations became more frequent. At that time, Axon officially kicked off its enterprise efforts—offering its ecosystem to businesses outside of law enforcement with security needs.
“Criminal organizations are more emboldened than ever,” said Mike Shore, SVP and GM of Enterprise at Axon. “They can inflict real harm with minimal effort. Security leaders are being asked to protect more with less—and technology is how they’re doing it.”
Today, security leaders find that the old playbooks are no longer enough. Budgets are tight and the traditional model of fixed cameras and patrols can't keep up with evolving threats that are mobile, unpredictable, and often low-cost. They need force multipliers—tools that extend the reach of their teams without a proportional increase in cost or risk. One new solution—drones.
Drones are evolving from a futuristic novelty to a critical component of modern security. They can protect life and improve security at a cheaper price. Drones offer real-time visibility, faster responses, and operational efficiency—at a fraction of the cost of traditional infrastructure. But to truly understand the impact drones have on modern law enforcement and organizations outside of public safety, Axon believes they should be viewed as part of a security ecosystem.
The Security Ecosystem
Modern security depends on an integrated ecosystem of tools—sensors, cameras, drones, and more. “Drones are highly mobile, intelligent sensors that integrate with CCTV, body-worn cameras, and alarms,” said Shore. They can be deployed instantly to provide a unique perspective, and in some cases, they do it quicker, better, and cheaper than other security options.
Axon Air, powered by Skydio hardware, provides real-time aerial support during incidents. With AI-powered autonomous flight and seamless integration into Axon’s real-time crime center platform Axon Fusus, it delivers instant visibility into blind spots and live situational awareness to command centers. A second use case is quickly gaining traction: Drones aren’t just for responding to incidents—they’re being used for proactive patrols. Like a security guard making rounds, they conduct regular surveillance to deter threats and detect issues before they escalate.
For example, unlike traditional CCTV or fixed cameras, drones can give better visuals anywhere on the property. Instead of paying to install power and communication infrastructure for cameras across a large site, a drone can patrol the area for a fraction of the cost. Drones can also replace perimeter patrols, offering superior aerial views that ground-based guards cannot match. “Drones can respond faster and safer without putting people at risk. What we’re also finding in enterprise is, drones have a strong ROI beyond security,” said Shore.
The same drone that patrols a facility at night can be used during the day for workplace health and safety checks and maintenance tasks—inspecting rooftops, fence lines, and infrastructure. This grants access to hard-to-reach areas and mitigates risk without putting employees in harm's way.
As security needs evolve, organizations are considering threats from both ground and air. The skies are now crowded with millions of commercial and recreational drones. In 2024 alone, Dedrone, the global leader in airspace security, logged 1.2 million illegal drone flights across the U.S., making it clear airspace safety is no longer theoretical—it’s a daily challenge.
To help address this for public safety and organizations, Axon acquired Dedrone, which adds another layer of security by detecting, tracking, and identifying unauthorized drones and locating the pilot. It protects over 955 sites worldwide, from airports and stadiums to government and private infrastructure.
The New First Responder
In public safety, when a crisis does occur, drones can become the new first responder (also known as drone as first responder or DFR), providing real-time intelligence to officers before they enter a potentially dangerous situation. For example, when a crime is happening, law enforcement can deploy a drone to have eyes on the situation in minutes. It helps them assess what’s happening in real time, know who and what is being threatened, and understand where they need to deploy officers. They can be better prepared to stop the criminal while mitigating the risk to themselves and potential bystanders before setting foot at the scene.
Drones have supported responses to kidnappings, bank robberies, riots, and smash-and-grab incidents. “There was a smash and grab in a major city,” said Shore. “And the police department launched a drone in under 90 seconds and just followed the criminals the whole time. They achieved significantly better results at a much lower cost—all while seamlessly integrating with the Axon platform.” In another instance, a public safety agency deployed DFR from a dock, successfully tracking some of the suspects in a retail crime incident, making arrests and recovering most of the stolen merchandise.
In the past year, the regulatory environment has evolved significantly, expanding opportunities for drones to operate beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), largely enabled by a growing number of FAA waivers. Additionally, executive orders issued in June 2025 have provided clearer guidance for agencies seeking to integrate commercial drones into their operations. However, this future depends on secure, American-made, NDAA-compliant systems. “One of the biggest hurdles to broader drone adoption has been navigating the regulatory landscape. But with these recent changes, we finally have a defined path for deploying American-made drones at scale,” said Shore.
Cities across the country are using drones to help their police departments. As of 2023, more than 1,400 agencies deploy drones, and as regulations ease, usage is expected to accelerate.
For businesses, drones are proving to be a powerful tool in mitigating their unique risks. By providing aerial visibility, they help security teams make faster, smarter decisions, often before deploying personnel on the ground. From enhancing employee safety and protecting assets to ensuring compliance and lowering operational costs, drones and drone detection capabilities are enabling organizations to strengthen their security posture without overextending their resources.
Ethical Use
As with any technology, drones need rules to ensure their ethical use. Their unique aerial perspective raises important questions about privacy and surveillance. It’s why companies like Axon lead with a strong ethical framework rooted in four principles: human-centric, principled, collaborative, and accountable to guide every aspect of their technology.
- Human Centric: “We want tools to extend human capabilities, not replace them,” said Shore. Security tools, like drones, are designed to provide security personnel with better information and situational awareness, allowing them to make safer, more effective decisions without putting themselves at risk.
- Principled: Innovation must protect life, solve crimes, and help businesses but must still strictly comply with privacy regulations. This means that any new tool is designed to be a force for good and is developed with legal and ethical guardrails in place.
- Collaborative: Solutions are built in partnership with law enforcement, business owners, and community members. “The truth is everyone is stretched thin—law enforcement and businesses. But technology can bridge that gap,” said Shore. By working together, businesses and communities can create a more cohesive and comprehensive approach to public safety.
- Accountable: Axon has a strict documentation trail so everything can be audited. They make sure they can see what happened and why. They ensure transparency and allow for a clear review of actions so they can guarantee that the technology is used ethically and responsibly at all times. This also allows Axon to confirm that all regulations are being met and to adapt when they change.
The Future is Now
The era of drones in security isn't some distant vision—it's happening right now. They are on a trajectory to become a crucial part of public safety and business' security solutions, alongside CCTV cameras. Beyond public safety, drones are a versatile and cost-effective tool that any organization can use to protect people, safeguard assets, and manage risk in an increasingly complex world. “Drones are here to stay,” said Shore. “They’re being adopted by the Fortune 50, Fortune 200, and Fortune 500. They represent the newest hearing, seeing, and thinking nodes in the modern security ecosystem.”
