Minneapolis Considers Drone Pilot Program in North Minneapolis. Activists and Privacy Experts Are Pushing Back Hard.
Contributing writer Clint Combs reports on the debate over a proposed 75-day Skydio drone pilot program in North Minneapolis, where activists connected the manufacturer to Israeli military operations, privacy experts raised Fourth Amendment concerns and community members warned that surveillance technology will deepen inequities in already over-policed Black and brown neighborhoods.
Minneapolis is considering a pilot program that would deploy Skydio drones as first responders across North Minneapolis, and activists are pushing back hard.
Ward 4 Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw led efforts to approve a 75-day free trial contract from the Silicon Valley-based company. At a rally inside City Hall on Wednesday, June 24, anti-war and legal reform activists made clear they were not on board.
Jae Yates, an organizer with Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, connected the drone manufacturer directly to Israel’s alleged war crimes in Gaza.
“The drones made by Skydio are being used right now to assist Israel in this genocide. Minneapolis city leaders absolutely have a moral obligation to reject this contract,” said Yates. “We cannot trust a police department with a pattern and practice of racist policing to responsibly implement a drone program. What we need is real oversight of MPD and harsh consequences for officers who violate their own policies and harm our neighbors.”
Marvina Haynes, a lifelong North Minneapolis resident and founder of Minnesota Wrongful Conviction Reform, submitted testimony rooted in her family’s fight to free her brother Marvin Haynes from a wrongful murder conviction.
“We experienced firsthand what happens when systems operate without sufficient accountability, and when communities lose trust in institutions that are supposed to serve and protect them,” Bob Goonin read on behalf of Haynes. “Public safety and justice require accountability, transparency, and community trust. That is why I’m here today to express concern about the proposed drones as first responders program.”
The City’s Case for Drones
At a committee presentation last month, city officials made their pitch. Minneapolis Emergency Communications Center Director Joni Hodne said drones could confirm whether a parked car complaint still warranted a response before sending officers out. Assistant Fire Chief Wes Van Vickle pointed to a recent fire at 15th and Central, saying, “having that drone follow them would allow us to get to the area we need to be quicker to effect a rescue.” Inspections Director April Bogard said drones would give the city “line of sight that we don’t have right now.” Traffic Code Compliance Director Ahmed Adow added that illegal auto repairs and snow dumping go unsolved because officers arrive too late.
“A lot of the time when we respond to these events, the event is no longer either going on or it has actually ceased,” said Adow.
When asked for the cost of a post-trial contract, Deputy Chief Thomas Campbell admitted, “We don’t at the moment have a cost analysis on any of this.”
Council Members Express Reservations
Council Member Soren Stevenson acknowledged the tension.
“I personally found myself oscillating between, wow, this could be extremely useful, and oh my god, this is Big Brother coming to ruin our lives,” he said. He deferred to Vetaw but not without reservation. “It just also feels a little odd to have our latest Big Brother project exclusively on the North Side for a little bit. I totally respect that, Council Member, that you’re bringing this forward, and that you really want this, and so not trying to step on that at all.”
Privacy Experts and Activists Raise Alarms
Privacy experts say policies should address safeguards against large swaths of images, video, and data collected from drones.
“We would expect that there would be some sort of retention period and some sort of guarantee that information is going to be deleted within a certain period of time,” said Electronic Frontier Foundation Senior Investigative Researcher Beryl Lipton.
Haynes pushed back on the emergency response framing. “Communities across this country have seen surveillance technologies expand beyond their original purpose,” she said. “Once these systems are in place, residents often have little control over how they evolve, what data is collected, how long information is stored, or how the technology is used in the future.”
Stacy Gurian-Sherman sharpened the critique. “It is, in fact, illegal domestic spying. It’s the tool of despots and fascists,” said Gurian-Sherman. “Whether it’s Skydio flying drones or stationary flock cameras that track vehicle license plates, makes and models, all without constitutionally protected Fourth Amendment rights.”
City officials said they plan to launch a public transparency dashboard to track and monitor drone flights across North Minneapolis.
“When our daily lives are recorded the moment we step outside, our privacy, trust, and autonomy are violated. For Black and brown and immigrant folks who are already more likely to be targeted, criminalized, and arrested, the risks are even greater,” said Devren Washington, organizing director for People’s Tech Project. “Neighborhoods that have long been over-policed will bear the brunt of expanded surveillance, deepening inequities rather than improving public safety.”
“This is not just about drones, it is about ensuring that future generations inherit a city where freedom, privacy, justice, and community voice are valued as much as public safety,” Haynes said.
What Comes Next
The Public Health, Safety and Equity Committee will vote on the Skydio contract at 1:30 p.m. July 8 at Minneapolis City Hall.