In The News

Public safety agencies nationwide are rapidly expanding their use of drones, transforming how first responders assess emergencies, gather information, and keep communities safe. What began as a niche tool for specialized teams has evolved into a mainstream asset for police, fire and emergency management departments seeking faster, safer and more efficient operations.

When a police commander can see an unfolding scene before officers arrive, or a utility executive can detect infrastructure stress before failure, the advantage is not the drone. It is the decision. Phoenix-based Rapid Drone has built its business around that distinction.

With exclusive Arizona rights from Starling, Rapid Drone brings the Pathfinder-X to public safety and infrastructure operations with 2.5-hour endurance and autonomous battery exchange.

Rapid Drone is expanding its aerial intelligence capabilities with the addition of the Pathfinder-X, an advanced vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft designed to extend flight time, coverage area, and operational resilience for public safety agencies and critical industries.

As organizations across public safety, infrastructure, and large asset-heavy operations increasingly rely on real-time data to drive faster, safer decisions, Rapid Drone has officially launched as a specialized aerial intelligence and drone services provider.

As organizations across public safety, infrastructure, and large asset-heavy operations increasingly rely on real-time data to drive faster, safer decisions, Rapid Drone has officially launched as a specialized aerial intelligence and drone services provider.

Arizona’s landscape has always required thoughtful balance. In a state shaped by desert conditions, long-term drought, and steady growth, sustainability is not a trend but a way of life.

David Rietz, chief drone operator for Rapid Drone, joined The Chris & Joe Show to discuss drones and how they’re being used to protect the public on a daily basis.

Rather than producing hardware, Rapid Drone deploys and manages a fleet of USA Blue Certified aircraft, handling everything from flight operations and data capture to analysis and integration.

Rapid Drone’s leadership and technical teams bring together more than $2 billion in real estate development experience, over 15 years of national public-safety foundation leadership, and two decades of hands-on UAV engineering.

With the global commercial drone market projected to grow from roughly $30 billion in 2024 to more than $54 billion by 2030, Rapid Drone is making its official debut as a specialized aerial intelligence and drone services provider, not a drone manufacturer.

Rapid Drone doesn’t build hardware; it operates and manages a fleet of USA Blue Certified aircraft, overseeing flight operations, data capture, analysis, and system integration end to end.