R.A.P.T.O.R. takes flight in Ramapo
A pair of drones are helping the police department in Ramapo, N.Y., work smarter … and quicker.
The town’s new Drone as a First Responder (DFR) program is a high-tech answer to even the most routine calls. “People think the drones are for the ‘glory’ calls like big accidents or crimes, but really, they can be helpful to us to clear smaller calls so we’re free to take care of those bigger calls,” explained Captain Kevin Lee, the department’s administrative lieutenant.
For example, if a call comes to the Ramapo dispatcher that a car is disabled, the drone can be deployed as a first responder to the reported location and “see” if the car is still where it was reported or if it’s causing a major traffic tie-up. Then, if an officer is needed, further action can be taken.
“It can save officers from going to a location that is not in need of immediate assistance,” Lee said.
Because the drones can be up and running in 30 to 60 seconds, and don’t have to dodge through traffic, they can reach a call location in just a few minutes, depending on the location in Ramapo.
Lee said the idea for the DFR program took shape in the later months of summer 2024. By early fall, Ramapo police were in touch with the police department in Elizabeth, N.J., to learn about its experience with drones in a similar urban setting. Lee said the Ramapo department purchased its first drone and base station in November 2024, followed by its second in January 2025.
“We hope to add a third one in the near future.” He added the program was fully operational about a month into 2025.
Ramapo is the first municipality in Rockland County to use drones for an FAA-approved DFR initiative. Located about 28 miles northwest of New York City, Ramapo sits on the stateline between New York and New Jersey. It’s home to about 260,000 residents in 20 villages and hamlets covering about 62 square miles.
The base stations are located at two sites in the town where the drones can be deployed remotely. “This is what makes these drones different from what other police departments have,” Lee added.
In many places, police take the drones to the site of a call, perhaps a vehicle accident or a longer incident, such as a standoff with police. They then deploy the drones at the scene to visualize the situation and take photos. In Ramapo, the drones are deployed from their docking stations and fly to the site without human intervention other than deployment. The drones then report back to a person who can make the decision about what actions will be taken. Lee said the drones can be used to follow a getaway car from a robbery scene so that police can be directed to the exact location of the vehicle rather than several vehicles going in different directions to track the getaway vehicle.
The drone cameras, which Lee said provides very detailed images, are also equipped with thermal imaging to locate a person who may be reported lost or a suspect who has fled a crime scene.
Lee said the department has trained more than 20 people in using the drones, including six who work in the dispatch center. “The chief wants the drones up and running as much as several times a day, so it’s important to have as many people trained as possible.”
He said Palidin Drones, a Houston, Texas, company, came to the department to train the first pilots, who in turn trained coworkers. The department, which has 113 sworn officers, wants to continue to train other officers and dispatchers in the effective use of the drone technology.
Because the drones can recharge in about 25 minutes, they can be deployed frequently throughout the day. Lee said they have about a three to five air-mile limit from the docking station and back, so they have been docked in two of the busiest areas of the town, which covers about 40% of Ramapo.
The Ramapo Police Department considers the DFR program to be a step to stay in the forefront of law enforcement technology that improves community safety and public service. The city’s contract with Palidin Drones includes drone pilot training, the two docking stations and drones, as well as replacements due to accidents, according to Lee.
To introduce the program to the public, one of the department’s police sergeants came up with the acronym R.A.P.T.O.R., which stands for Ramapo Aerial Patrol Tactical Operations and Reconnaissance. “Since a raptor is a big bird and drones fly, we thought it had a nice ring to it and was something people could remember,” Lee noted.
The Ramapo Police Department’s drones recharge in a base station that closes into a cube shape. When deployed, the cube opens, and the drone takes off. The drone can recharge in less than 30 minutes. (Photo provided by Ramapo Police Department) 
One of two drones used by the Ramapo, N.Y., Police Department that can be deployed to the scene of a police call as a first responder. (Photo provided by Ramapo Police Department) To introduce the concept of the Drone as a First Responder program, the Ramapo Police Department adopted this logo calling the program R.A.P.T.O.R., standing for Ramapo Aerial Patrol Tactical and Reconnaissance. (Photo provided by Ramapo Police Department)
