Baton Rouge claims a first with a massive police drone built to do a helicopter’s job
Published on Jan 20, 2026 at 9:59 AM (UTC+4)
by Molly Davidson
Last updated on Jan 20, 2026 at 9:59 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Molly Davidson
Baton Rouge police have added something new to their fleet, and it’s not a car or a helicopter.
It’s a drone so large it blurs the line between unmanned aircraft and small plane.
The department says it can stay airborne for hours and cover distances regular police drones can’t.
More importantly, it’s being used to replace the work helicopters used to do.
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The giant police drone Baton Rouge is betting on
The Baton Rouge Police Department says it’s the first in the US to use this exact drone setup.
The aircraft is called the Stalker VXE30 and it’s built by Edge Autonomy, working closely with Lockheed Martin.
This isn’t a normal quadcopter.
It has a 16-foot wingspan and can take off and land vertically, like a helicopter.
Once in the air, it can fly as high as 400 feet, which is the legal limit set by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The police drone can stay airborne for up to four hours at a time and travel about 30 miles from where it launches.
Police can fly it even when they can’t physically see it anymore.
Cameras with powerful zoom and thermal imaging can be attached, letting officers see heat through smoke or darkness.
Those abilities are why the department says it can handle jobs helicopters used to do.
That includes tracking vehicle pursuits, searching large areas, and helping firefighters find hot spots during building fires.
For Baton Rouge, the shift came after a deadly 2023 police helicopter accident involving two of its own.
After that, the city shut down its helicopter unit entirely.
Instead of replacing it, the department invested in drones.
Today, it operates 31 of them, flown by 24 FAA-licensed pilots.
The new flagship drone and all its training and equipment cost about $1 million.
The potential global implications
This isn’t just about one city buying new tech.
It shows how fast drones are catching up to traditional aircraft.
The biggest challenge now isn’t what drones can do, it’s where they’re allowed to fly and how they’re regulated.
Bigger drones mean stricter rules.
Some civil rights groups have raised concerns about surveillance, especially since similar drones are used by the military.
Baton Rouge police say this drone will only be used for cameras and will follow FAA rules.
If that approach works, more cities may start choosing drones over helicopters.
Baton Rouge just happens to be the first to try it at this scale.
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With roles at TEXT Journal, Bowen Street Press, Onya Magazine, and Swine Magazine on her CV, Molly joined Supercar Blondie in June 2025 as a Junior Content Writer. Having experience across copyediting, proofreading, reference checking, and production, she brings accuracy, clarity, and audience focus to her stories spanning automotive, tech, and lifestyle news.
