Port Richey officials told the City Council the city has been awarded state grants to buy one commercial-grade drone for the police department and one for the fire department and will join Hernando/Pasco County’s shared program for drone nests and training.

Why it matters: Drones can be used for search-and-rescue, evidence documentation, fire-scene reconnaissance and faster situational awareness; the county program promises standardized training, monthly refreshers and shared operating procedures to ensure legal and safe use across agencies.

Details reported to council
- City Manager Andrew Butterfield said the grants will fund one drone for each public-safety department and the city is coordinating with the county to house drone nests (small rooftop hangars that store, charge and deploy drones) to provide broader coverage and minimize gaps.
- Butterfield said each drone’s retail price was roughly $26,000 and the state grant provides $25,000 toward each unit; the city had budgeted an earlier figure but the county procurement to join the shared program reduced unit cost and training expenses.
- Staff said the county will provide training and that the city will enter a memorandum of understanding with the county to define operations, maintenance and monthly training expectations.

Operational uses cited
Officials listed several primary uses: search-and-rescue for lost boaters and kayakers; documentation of storm damage for claims and mitigation; surveillance during mass-casualty or active-threat responses to reduce risk to on-scene personnel; and building-inspection and post-storm assessments.

Next steps: Staff said the city expects to present a memorandum of understanding with the county for council review in October and will plan for monthly training and certification before drones will be deployed operationally.