Skydio AI drones deployed by US law enforcement after Gaza use
Skydio AI-powered drones supplied to Israeli military for use in Gaza have been deployed by over 800 U.S. law enforcement agencies for surveillance in American cities. The drones use thermal imaging, facial recognition and autonomous navigation, with data fed to cloud-based evidence systems, raising concerns among civil liberties advocates about mass surveillance and monitoring of protesters.
What happened
Skydio supplied AI-powered surveillance drones to Israeli military forces during operations in Gaza. The drones were used in live combat conditions and tested during the conflict.
Over 800 U.S. law enforcement and security agencies now operate Skydio drones, up from 320 in March 2024. NYPD operates 55 flights per day, and drones are deployed hundreds of times daily across major cities including New York, Chicago, Miami and Atlanta.
The drones use thermal imaging and facial recognition to track individuals and autonomously navigate environments without GPS. Data is uploaded to Axon Evidence, a cloud-based digital evidence system.
Reported impact
Civil liberties advocates and anti-surveillance campaigners have raised concerns about mass surveillance and erosion of civil liberties in American communities.
The drones are reportedly being used against anti-genocide protesters, raising questions about surveillance of political dissent.
Index analysis
The drones are powered by Nvidia chips and feature autonomous surveillance capabilities including thermal imaging and facial recognition technology.
Governance controls
FAA rule changes have enabled drones to fly beyond operator sight through 'Drone As First Responder' programs. Skydio received federal military spending of over $10 million in two years from military branches.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.