The county police department’s video drone program is operational in Bethesda as of Tuesday.
On Wednesday, leaders announced the Bethesda expansion at public safety headquarters in Gaithersburg.
Bethesda is the fourth site for the Drone as First Responder Program, which started in 2023 in downtown Silver Spring and has since expanded to Wheaton/Glenmont and Gaithersburg.
The program uses a drone to fly to a 911 call and arrive before or with officers. It is supposed to help evaluate the scene before officers arrive and while a situation is ongoing. The drones are only used in response to emergency 911 calls, and are not used for surveillance or patrolling.
Last year the county had its first conviction in a jury trial that resulted from the drone program.
There is an online dashboard where residents can see information about drone activity. The drones have been deployed more than 2,000 times since 2023.
