The Benton Police Department will hold a public demonstration on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, to showcase its new Drone as First Responder trial program.
The event, hosted in partnership with BRINC Drones and Motorola, will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the department’s training room and give residents a firsthand look at how aerial technology is being integrated into local emergency responses. Read more below.
The presentation, expected to last between 30 minutes and an hour, will feature an overview of the program, a live flight demonstration, and an open question-and-answer session. Department officials say the goal of the technology is to allow aerial units to reach emergency scenes ahead of officers, firefighters, or paramedics, providing faster response times and improved situational awareness.
Detective Dustin Hamm with the Benton Police Department noted that the public event was organized specifically to help community members learn how the technology works, understand its operational scope, and ask questions directly to staff.
Following the initial announcement, residents raised questions online regarding pilot licensing, privacy safeguards, and funding. Police officials clarified that all department pilots complete FAA Part 107 training and licensing and operate under Part 91 COA/W authorization.
Addressing financial and privacy inquiries, the department stated that no taxpayer funds were used to purchase the equipment for the one-year trial. Officials emphasized that the drones will be deployed for calls for service and special events requiring security, rather than for general or continuous surveillance.
The demonstration is free and open to the public. All interested residents are invited to attend at the Benton Police Department Training Room.
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