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Council approves five‑year Axon UAS agreement; grant and trade‑in offset city match
Summary
The council approved a five‑year Axon agreement to acquire small unmanned aircraft, interior drones, a ground robot and related software; the first‑year payment not to exceed $131,005.65 will be covered by grant funding with a trade‑in offset reducing the city’s 20 percent match.
Midlothian’s City Council on Oct. 28 authorized a five‑year agreement with Axon Enterprises to acquire a small unmanned aircraft system (UAS), interior drones, a ground robot, a pole camera and software/licenses. The first annual payment was listed as not to exceed $131,005.65.
Commander Clark said the purchase is part of the same grant program funding other police technology; the agreement includes a 30‑month hardware refresh and five years of warranty and licensing. Clark said the department’s current fleet includes Chinese‑manufactured drones (DJI/Autel) that may be subject to future restrictions; the Axon equipment is U.S.‑made, meets Department of Defense standards cited in procurement discussion, and appears on a cleared UAS list.
Staff said trade‑in credit for existing equipment will cover the $21,928 match so the city will not need to expend additional general‑fund dollars in year one. Council approved the agreement 6–0.
