Menlo Park Fire Protection District has utilized AirData‘s technology to streamline its public safety drone operations and enhance incident command intelligence. The district, which operates over 15 aircraft, 14 pilots, and three Drone as First Responder (DFR) docks, previously faced complex streaming logistics because command staff had to manually select pilot-specific links during active incidents.
AirData’s Multiview Player has resolved this by providing a single entry point for live feeds, simplifying the Tablet Command interface and accelerating access to aerial intelligence.
Managing fleet safety across more than 100 batteries posed an operational risk of in-flight failure due to untracked wear. AirData’s automatic flight logging and battery tracking have allowed the district to capture critical telemetry and identify historical anomalies to remove compromised hardware from service. Senior Management Analyst Tom Owen stated, “You don’t know you have a problem until you get one. But the fact that the data exists about the battery, the flight, and the aircraft, that is the proactive safety net.”
The district also required a structured framework to demonstrate program value to stakeholders within a metrics-driven fire service. AirData’s keyword tagging and reporting capabilities have enabled immediate post-mission data logging, generating metrics that support Board-level visibility. Tom Owen described it, “It’s one thing to show what these tools can do. It’s another to provide the data that proves the value. That’s what makes the difference.”
These workflows have successfully delivered simplified video distribution, proactive hazard mitigation, and enhanced operational accountability. Tom Owen emphasizes the necessity of this data-driven structure: “If you’re going to stand up a program and present it to leadership, you need a system that supports accountability. It shows you’ve thought through implementation, training, and operational risk, and that you have the data to back it up. That’s when the data starts working for you.”
