Bruce McPherson

 Axon (Nasdaq: AAXN), the global leader in connected public safety technologies, today announced a new drone piloting and livestreaming application that allows law enforcement to livestream critical data directly into Axon’s digital evidence management solution, Axon Evidence (Evidence.com). The Escondido Police Department in California was the first to use the application.

The first-of-its kind Axon Air app allows law enforcement to stream drone footage to command staff and into Axon Evidence in near real-time. The data is protected by the same rigorous data management system and chain of custody protocols that law enforcement agencies trust for body-worn, in-car and in-room video systems. Axon partnered with a network of agencies to develop the app, which includes customizable piloting controls and settings — about 30 agencies are using it in the field.

“We are excited to have a flight app that streamlines our workflow. From livestreaming in the moment to capturing the Evidence in a secure system, it makes our jobs easier and keeps everything consistent,” says Escondido PD’s Drone Program Coordinator and Chief Pilot, Sergeant Craig Miller. “Our pilots love the simple interface and the streaming allows us to get widespread awareness on any critical incident — the Axon Air app has been a game-changer.”

Drone technology is an important tool for Escondido Police in keeping its community safe — used in standard patrol activities, overseeing SWAT operations from above, aiding in missing people searches, gaining critical insights into traffic scenes, and used in city planning efforts.

“Drone technology is very valuable to public safety, but law enforcement officers have specific end-to-end needs that Axon is committed to serving,” says Axon CEO and founder, Rick Smith. “We will continue to partner with departments such as Escondido to deliver advanced situational awareness technology, automated pilot and flight records, advancements in scene reconstruction and more. Our goal is to make drone use easy and seamless, so agencies can take advantage of all the benefits of a drone program.”

Axon Air is Axon’s suite of software solutions for unmanned aircraft use in public safety. By leveraging the Axon Evidence platform, Axon Air gives public safety agencies another tool to improve officer and community safety. Integration with Axon Aware brings livestreaming and situational awareness beyond the body camera and into the sky. Through a strategic partnership with DJI — the global leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology — Axon Air software is tailored specifically to public safety use cases. The new piloting and livestreaming features of the Axon Air application are compatible with the Mavic 2 Enterprise and Matrice 200 series drones and accessories. Agencies can use their existing DJI drones or purchase them directly through Axon.

For more information on Axon Air visit: https://www.axon.com/products/axon-air or contact Axonair@axon.com.