# Minneapolis Rejects Skydio Drone Contract

The Minneapolis City Council voted 6-6 on July 16, 2026, resulting in the rejection of a proposed 75-day pilot contract with Skydio, Inc. to deploy drones as first responders in north Minneapolis. The program aimed to enhance emergency response efficiency by providing real-time video feeds to first responders at 911 calls, potentially improving response times and resource allocation amid police staffing shortages. Despite the rejection, the proposal remains eligible for future consideration as a motion to remove it from agendas failed by the same vote margin. The decision reflects significant community opposition centered on privacy, surveillance concerns, and Skydio's ties to federal immigration enforcement and foreign military entities. Procurement professionals should note the heightened scrutiny on surveillance technology vendors and the importance of community engagement and ethical considerations in public safety technology acquisitions.

- The pilot contract was a no-cost, 75-day trial intended to assess drone utility in emergency response within Minneapolis's 4th Precinct.
- Community resistance focused on privacy, civil liberties, and vendor affiliations with ICE and the Israeli Defense Force, influencing council deliberations.
- The deadlock vote and ongoing debate indicate potential for revised procurement approaches or alternative vendors in future drone surveillance initiatives.
- Procurement teams should evaluate vendor backgrounds and community impact proactively when considering emerging surveillance technologies for public safety applications.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Public Safety, Information Technology
**Topics:** Digital Infrastructure, Regulatory Compliance, Cybersecurity
**Published:** July 19, 2026

### Government Entities
- Minneapolis City Council
- Minneapolis Police Department (MPD)
- Minnetonka Police Department
- Office of Community Safety
- U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)

### Vendors
- Skydio, Inc. (potential contractor)

### Key Quotes
> The vote against Skydio is a testament to the relentless and boundless drive of our city to set historic precedents in the fight for Palestine. Once again, Minneapolis has set an example for cities across the country 	6 first through our passage of the strongest ceasefire resolution in the U.S., and secondly, through our uprising against operation metro surge. Our people will be known as those who will fight militarization to the end 	6 a city which shows that no BDS win is 	1too radical	2 for us to achieve.
> — Sana Wazwaz, Leader, American Muslims for Palestine-MN

> If the majority of the people of Minneapolis, who bravely stood up to ICE's terrorism of our immigrant neighbors this winter, had our way, there would be no debate about whether to give money to a company profiting off of a genocide so that cops can misuse their surveillance technology.
> — Jae Yates, Organizer, Twin Cities Coalition for Justice (TCC4J)

> It would be good to have enough police so that they can go into neighborhoods and introduce themselves to people living there and be seen as allies and protectors and servers, in addition to not being perceived as bullies.
> — Lucia Smith, Board Member, Women Against Military Madness

### Sources
- [The Minneapolis City Council rejected a contract for Skydio Inc. to provide the city's first "drones as first responders" program on Thursday. https://t.co/8NkKH3ELQk](https://x.com/FOX9/status/2077867468043772154) - twitter-sled
- [July 8, 2026 Public Health, Safety & Equity Committee](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MdBQZfwAJ8) - cityofminneapolis
- [Minneapolis residents speak out against 'drones as first responders' program - AOL](https://www.aol.com/news/minneapolis-residents-speak-against-drones-185908452.html) - AOL.com