In Florida, a sheriff's deputy was driving home when he heard sounds from the floorboard of his patrol car.
It was his department's new American-made drone battery. Not plugged in. Not in use. Undergoing spontaneous thermal combustion.
He pulled over and removed the burning carpet and battery before his vehicle was damaged further.
This is part of what the transition to American-made drones looks like for agencies that can't afford the flagship systems.
The Cost Comparison
A DJI Matrice 30T—the established standard for public safety drone operations—costs around $2,500 to $4,000.
A Skydio X10, the flagship American alternative on the Pentagon's "Blue UAS" approved list, starts at $15,934. Add the required enterprise software subscription ($1,499/year) and mapping capabilities ($2,999/year), and you're looking at $20,000+ per drone per year.
That's a 5x to 8x cost differential.
Florida's $200 Million Transition
Florida banned Chinese-made drones for state agencies in 2023. Two years later, the results are documented.
The cost to replace grounded DJI drones: $200 million.
The state offered $25 million in grants. The remainder falls on local budgets.
Collier County Sheriff's Office Sergeant Meagan Kitchenhoff testified to state legislators that her agency's American-made replacements "cannot fly at night" because "the infrared camera is just not safe for us to use."
Orlando Police reported that their DJI fleet had zero failures in five years. The approved replacements experienced five failures in 18 months.
North Carolina agencies went from paying $2,600 per drone to $15,000. Seminole County Fire Department jumped from $2,500 to $15,000 per unit.
The Department of Interior Assessment
In January 2021, the Department of Interior sent an internal memo about Blue UAS drones. The findings:
- 8 to 14 times more expensive than DJI equivalents
- Reduced sensor capacity by 95%
- Met only 20% of civilian mission requirements
Equipment Challenges
Skydio is the leading American drone manufacturer. Silicon Valley pedigree. Venture capital backing. Pentagon contracts. They're on every Blue UAS list.
They also issued a service bulletin telling operators not to use handheld radios within 12 inches of their drone controllers.
The controllers can experience interference from standard police and fire radios.
For first responders using a drone at an incident scene where people are communicating by radio—which is every incident scene—this presents operational challenges.
Industry analysts described it as "weak RF immunity" in American-made drones. The same frequencies that cause issues at close range are the frequencies adversaries use for counter-drone warfare at greater distances.
A Comparison: Two Ohio Cities
Dublin Police Department runs DJI Matrice 30T drones with Paladin's autonomous deployment platform. Total investment: $492,000 over three years for four drones, thermal imaging, autonomous docking stations, and city-wide coverage. Their drones launch within 90 seconds of a 911 call.
Columbus Division of Police—15 minutes away—bought five Skydio X10 drones for $172,000. No autonomous docking. No city-wide coverage. They deploy from patrol cruisers.
Columbus has regulatory compliance with Blue UAS approval. Dublin has operational capability.
If Columbus wanted Dublin's capability level with Blue UAS equipment, they'd need to spend more—and still face the RF interference questions.
Fire Chief Concerns
Arizona fire chief Luis Martinez has been direct about the federal DJI restrictions.
"In my opinion, lives are going to be lost because this air capability is going to be taken away."
At Regional Fire and Rescue in Casa Grande, drones have become essential equipment. They detect hot spots, monitor structure fires, respond to hazmat calls. They've dropped life jackets to people in flood zones.
Without access to new DJI batteries or parts, Martinez says their program could be grounded within months. Batteries are consumable—they lose charge after about a year and need replacement.
"Batteries are a very perishable product. After about a year, they begin to lose charge. Sometimes they begin to deteriorate well before the year is up."
His department can't afford $15,000+ alternatives. Most small fire departments can't.
The Evidence Question
DJI sent letters to five federal agencies in March 2025 asking them to conduct the security audit Congress mandated.
No responses.
The restriction took effect because no agency conducted the review—not because any agency documented a security finding.
Florida State Senator Tom Wright questioned whether the DeSantis administration provided "any evidence that DJI drones pose a security risk." He sponsored legislation to give agencies more time. It didn't receive a hearing.
The cost is documented. The capability gap is documented. The security concerns haven't been substantiated with public evidence.
Market Dynamics
Skydio has raised over $340 million in venture capital. Their investors need returns. Their path to profitability runs through government contracts.
When regulatory action eliminates 70-90% of the drone market, it doesn't create competition. It creates captive customers.
Police and fire departments don't get to shop broadly. They choose from a short list of approved vendors at premium prices for products that may not match what they're replacing.
Practical Guidance for Public Safety
For agencies running drone programs:
Document everything. Every failure, every capability gap, every incident where the replacement equipment couldn't do what the previous equipment could. This data matters for future policy discussions.
Evaluate claims carefully. Autonomous features are impressive in demonstrations. In the field, with RF interference and real-world conditions, results may vary.
Secure existing inventory. If you still have DJI equipment, batteries and parts may be worth acquiring while available.
Engage on policy. Senator Tom Wright in Florida is raising these questions. Others could join.
Consider operational needs. Dublin, Ohio uses DJI for capability while accepting some regulatory considerations. That calculation differs for every agency.
Assessment
Current policy:
- Costs 5-14x more than the previous standard
- Delivers equipment with documented capability gaps
- Grounds critical public safety capabilities in some agencies
- Lacks public evidence supporting the stated security concerns
- Benefits a limited number of manufacturers
Whether this represents sound security policy or represents other priorities is a question worth examining.
The transition is proceeding regardless of the answer.
Brian Rutherford is a Marine Corps Reconnaissance veteran, combat veteran, and FAA-certified drone pilot. He has no financial relationship with DJI, Skydio, or any drone manufacturer.
Sources
- Florida's DJI Drone Ban: A $200 Million Disaster With No Evidence — DroneXL
- Ohio's DFR Gamble: Dublin's DJI Vs. Columbus's Skydio — DroneXL
- DJI Ban Alert: Arizona Fire Chief Warns "Lives Will Be Lost" — DroneXL
- Skydio Bulletin: A Warning, Not an Exception — sUAS News
- Blue UAS for First Responders Assessment — DHS SAVER Program
- DJI Alternatives: An In-Depth Guide — UAV Coach
- Blue UAS Cleared List — Defense Innovation Unit
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