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How the department uses autonomous aircraft, and how students see that technology up close.
The Philadelphia Police Department operates a Drone as First Responder program, flying the Skydio X10 as part of its public safety operations. Drone as First Responder, often shortened to DFR, sends an autonomous aircraft ahead of or alongside responders so personnel can see a scene before they arrive. Grace3 Technologies works with the Philadelphia Police Department as a community partner on public safety technology education and youth engagement, including the Teen Tech Summit and career exploration programs in Philadelphia schools. The department is one of the early operating agencies in the region running a DFR program, and its work gives students a clear, real-world view of how public safety technology is used in the field.
A Drone as First Responder program places an autonomous drone on standby. When a call comes in, the aircraft can launch, reach the location quickly, and stream live video to responders and commanders. Officers and supervisors arrive with a view of the scene already in hand.
The department flies the Skydio X10, an autonomous aircraft that can navigate around obstacles and hold a position over a scene. The technology supports the people making decisions. Commanders and responders interpret the live feed and direct the response.
Live aerial awareness helps an agency understand what is happening across a wide area. It supports coordination between units, gives incident commanders a common picture, and helps personnel make informed calls about where resources are needed.
Search is one of the practical uses of a DFR program. An aircraft can cover ground that would take a search team much longer on foot. The Philadelphia Police Department's use of autonomous technology for locating missing persons is one of the applications students learn about when they meet the program.
A DFR program works best when the public understands it. By engaging with students and community programs, the department shows how the technology operates, what it is used for, and how it fits into everyday public safety work.
The Philadelphia Police Department is an Impact Partner of the Teen Tech Summit, Grace3's annual hands-on technology event at Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania. Department personnel take part in the event and help students connect classroom skills to public safety careers.
PPD personnel took part in Grace3's Dare to Dream Career Week at the TGR Learning Lab in West Philadelphia. Students saw the Skydio X10 up close and learned how the department uses autonomous technology for situational awareness and locating missing persons.
The Philadelphia Police Athletic League brought students to the Teen Tech Summit, extending the reach of the program to young people across the city.
Grace3 works across public safety, autonomy and robotics, and geospatial and situational awareness, and is one of the largest African American dealers of Blue List Cleared drones in the United States. The partnership with the department centers on education: showing students how the technology works and where it can take them.
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Grace3 Technologies works with schools, districts, agencies, and community organizations on programs that connect students to technology and connect agencies to the communities they serve. If you would like to partner with us on a program, event, or initiative, we would like to hear from you.
Call (301) 338-8007 or contact us at grace3technologies.com/contact.
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