Across quiet village streets and busy main arteries, a small drone can act like a vigilant eye that never sleeps. Orland Park is betting on that edge to speed up emergency response times and improve situational awareness during crises.

Emergency response drones drive expansion in Orland Park

For a village that began exploring drones a decade ago, Orland Park is pushing into a second phase of public safety tech. The Orland Park Drones as First Responders program now centers on six drones in the police department’s arsenal. The village signed a three-year contract with BRINC, paying about $75,000 a year to operate the fleet. The system is designed to deploy quickly—docking pads at the station, with additional units that can launch from officers’ squad cars—and to help responders assess critical scenes from above while keeping officers safer on the ground.

Under current rules, the police department can launch a drone only under specific conditions, such as a crime in progress or other defined emergencies. These constraints ensure drones supplement, not replace, ground response. Orland Park’s leadership frames the expansion as a way to close gaps in coverage and to bring faster, data-rich situational awareness to responders and the public.

According to Chicago Tribune, Orland Park is the first village in Cook County to implement its own Drones as First Responders program. Police Chief Eric Rossi has emphasized that the expansion is as much about safety as speed. “We’re always trying to be a progressive police department and trying to think about new ideas and how to make the department better and keep the officers safer and the community safer,” he said during an update on the program.

Rossi’s comments reflect a broader shift in public safety technology. The BRINC drones selected for Orland Park are part of a growing ecosystem of turnkey, first-responder platforms designed to deliver real-time intelligence with minimal risk to officers and residents. The village’s plan to train roughly a quarter of its police force in drone operation signals a move toward distributed, on-call air support rather than centralized missions alone.

Ortland Park’s experience mirrors a wider trend across Illinois and beyond. The village was among the early adopters of drone technology in policing back in 2015, and its current program underscores how neighboring communities—Oak Lawn with three drones and Tinley Park with five—are steadily expanding their own fleets. The updated deployment numbers come as part of ongoing public reporting on drone usage within the state and the broader regulatory environment affecting first-responder operations.

In practical terms, the six-drones-and-docking stations approach means officers can initiate a response faster when evidence or a missing-person case requires eyes in the sky. And as agencies test the balance between operational benefit and privacy concerns, the emphasis remains on enhancing safety outcomes rather than blanket surveillance. The 25 launches reported by Orland Park from April 2024 to March 2025 illustrate the program’s growing role in routine and emergency incidents alike.

For industry watchers, the Orland Park model highlights how turnkey platforms from established vendors can enable smaller agencies to scale up quickly. It also spotlights the need for targeted training, governance, and clear tactical boundaries, all of which help agencies justify the investment to boards and residents alike. In short, emergency response drones are moving from novelty and pilot projects to bread-and-butter tools in local public safety arsenals.

For defense planners and municipal technology officers, the takeaway is clear: structured partnerships with experienced vendors, a clear regulatory framework, and a plan to train staff can turn a handful of drones into a force multiplier for everyday safety work. As more Illinois villages weigh their options, Orland Park’s experience offers a practical blueprint while raising questions about long-term funding, data handling, and community trust.

FAQ style quick takeaways: While Orland Park operates six drones today, the broader trend is toward modular fleets that can scale with community needs. The village’s experience also suggests a growing emphasis on training and operational discipline, which many departments see as essential to public acceptance of drone use in policing.

Deployment and Coverage

The village’s plan prioritizes coverage in areas with the most calls for service, maximizing reach without expanding the drone footprint indiscriminately. This targeted approach helps ensure the technology delivers practical results in real emergencies.

Training and Staffing

Rossi noted that about 25 percent of the police force is expected to become trained operators, a move designed to shorten response times and increase on-scene capability without centralized bottlenecks.

Regulatory Context

Deployments are shaped by state and federal rules that govern when a drone may be launched. The aim is to keep drones aligned with law enforcement needs while addressing privacy and safety concerns that accompany any new tool in public spaces.

FAQ

How many drones does Orland Park operate?

Orland Park currently operates six drones, with some units mounted on docking pads and others mounted for quick deployment from patrol vehicles.

What is the cost and vendor involved?

The village signed a three-year contract with BRINC, paying about $75,000 per year to operate the fleet.

Conclusion

Orland Park’s expansion of emergency response drones illustrates how mid-sized communities are integrating public safety technology to speed responses while managing risk. The program’s blend of rapid deployment, staff training, and clear regulatory guardrails offers a template for other departments weighing similar investments. As more towns follow, the market for emergency response drones will likely mature, with vendors refining turnkey solutions that emphasize safety, transparency, and measurable outcomes.