{"id":45965,"date":"2026-03-30T09:40:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-30T09:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/solutions-and-impact\/gsma-open-gateway\/?page_id=45965"},"modified":"2026-03-30T10:10:18","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T10:10:18","slug":"flock-safety-industry-demand-for-mission-critical-drone-connectivity","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/solutions-and-impact\/gsma-open-gateway\/gsma-fusion\/flock-safety-industry-demand-for-mission-critical-drone-connectivity\/","title":{"rendered":"Flock Safety: Industry demand for mission-critical drone connectivity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Flock Safety: Industry demand for mission-critical drone connectivity<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Public safety leaders are calling on mobile operators to enable assured, interoperable connectivity for Drone as First Responder (DFR) operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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About enterprise API demands<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Across law enforcement and emergency response, drones are rapidly becoming a core operational tool. From real-time video to live telemetry, these systems depend on continuous, high-performance connectivity. Flock Safety, a leader in public safety technology, is calling on mobile operators to deliver aviation-grade, mission-critical network capabilities to support Drone as First Responder (DFR) deployments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today\u2019s networks, largely designed for terrestrial and best-effort traffic, are not consistently optimised for aerial public safety use. This creates variability in performance, reliability risks, and barriers to scaling Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The solution lies in standardised, programmable network capabilities exposed through APIs. By leveraging GSMA Open Gateway and CAMARA frameworks, operators can provide assured performance, network awareness, and interoperability at scale. The message is clear: connectivity is no longer just an enabler, it is mission-critical infrastructure for public safety. Through collaboration, the mobile ecosystem can unlock the next generation of safer, faster, and more effective emergency response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Problem<\/h5>\n\n\n
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Public safety drone operations rely on best-effort connectivity, leading to inconsistent performance, reliability risks, and limited scalability for mission-critical use.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Solution<\/h5>\n\n\n
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\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Standardised, programmable network APIs deliver assured performance, prioritisation, and interoperability for public safety drone operations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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API service<\/h5>\n\n\n
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Quality on Demand (QoD), QoS Profiles, Network Insights, and Population Density APIs for real-time control, prioritisation, and adaptive operations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Impact<\/h5>\n\n\n
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Faster emergency response, improved situational awareness, enhanced responder safety, and a scalable new opportunity for mobile operators in public safety.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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More information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What is the Flock Safety market demand statement?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Flock Safety is calling on mobile operators to provide standardised, API-enabled network capabilities that ensure reliable, low-latency, and prioritised connectivity for DFR and BVLOS public safety drone operations.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Why should mobile operators act now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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DFR adoption is accelerating rapidly, with hundreds of agencies already deploying drone programmes. Without assured, interoperable connectivity, scaling these services safely and nationally remains a challenge.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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How does GSMA Fusion help?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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GSMA Fusion and Open Gateway provide a global framework for exposing network capabilities through standardised APIs, enabling interoperability, faster deployment, and scalable collaboration between operators and public safety stakeholders.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Market snapshot<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Around 300 public safety agencies in the United States adopted DFR programmes in 2025, signalling rapid transition from pilot to mainstream deployment.
The broader emergency responder drone market was valued at approximately $3.2 billion in 2023, with strong growth projected through 2032.
The DFR segment alone is expected to grow from around $1.24 billion in 2024 to approximately $5.17 billion by 2033, highlighting its strategic importance in the public safety ecosystem.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Partners<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This initiative is supported by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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