Bonner County approves $17,288 drone for sheriff after public debate over Chinese-made models

The Bonner County Board of Commissioners voted to approve purchase of a drone for the sheriff’s office for $17,288, after public comment and board discussion about vendor origin, intended use and funding.

Sheriff Darryl Wheeler told the board the drone will be used “primarily for search and rescue,” and that the office chose a model with thermal capability because “when we're searching ... we did not have a drone that has thermal capability.” He added a statutory justification for the purchase: “Statutorily, the sheriff is required to be in charge of search and rescue, and we are required and mandated by state statute to search for those that are lost and endangered.”

The purchase drew several public comments and questions from commissioners. Commissioner Korn raised concerns about the manufacturer, noting DJI’s Chinese ownership and reports of ties to the Chinese government. Sheriff Wheeler acknowledged those concerns: “Totally aware of that, commissioner,” and said the office had evaluated capability, battery life, accessories and price. He also told the board that roughly $7,000 of the funds were private donations raised after a 2021 search for a lost skier and had been held in a search-and-rescue fund.

Members of the public urged both caution and support. Teresa Heisner told the board she was “against it” because of vendor ties she called “a known fact,” but acknowledged the public safety argument. Spencer Hutchings and others said U.S.-assembled variants and other manufacturers exist; Hutchings said some models “are assembled down in Cerritos” and Autel and DJI both offer U.S.-assembled products. Wayne Martin asked whether the drone could assist wildland fire response; Sheriff Wheeler said it could help in some circumstances but stressed airspace coordination with fire agencies.

Sheriff Wheeler also said tariffs were raising costs and that delaying the purchase could more than double the price: “with the new tariffs the price was gonna double, if we didn't pull the trigger,” he said.

The motion to approve the purchase was made, seconded and carried by roll-call vote. The board recorded the motion and a roll-call; the meeting transcript records the motion, a second and a roll-call resulting in approval.

Why it matters: Commissioners and many residents framed the purchase as balancing public-safety benefits for search-and-rescue and investigations against privacy and vendor-origin concerns. The sheriff’s office said the drone will expand thermal search capacity, shorten response time in remote terrain and support investigations and emergency response planning.

Next steps: The sheriff’s office will complete the purchase and integrate the drone into its search-and-rescue and investigative operations. Commissioners asked for clarity on funding sources and noted community questions about vendor origin.