Orange County Sheriff's deputies deployed drones nearly 500 times between spring 2025 and spring 2026, more than tripling from roughly 150 deployments the prior year, according to annual military equipment use disclosures reviewed by Voice of OC and published July 9.
At least three of OC's largest law enforcement agencies are expanding drone programs with little public discussion, the outlet found, even as California crime rates fall to historic lows.
Irvine and Santa Ana lead the expansion
Irvine's police department flew drones 4,300 times in the most recent reporting year, up from 2,900 the year before, logging more than 850 hours of airtime with 21 pilots. The city spent nearly $200,000 on drone maintenance alone. Irvine's "Drone as First Responder" program, which sends drones to scenes before officers arrive, launched 1,250 times and now flies from nine locations with plans for citywide coverage.
Santa Ana's City Council approved a $683,000 three-year contract for five drones at its February 3 meeting. Santa Ana Councilwoman Thai Viet Phan said at that meeting the drones helped residents exercise their First Amendment rights during protests.
"This was how we were able to allow Santa Ana residents to protest and exercise their First Amendment rights," Phan said. "This was how the use of a drone helped residents protest the illegal and terrible things that ICE is doing."
Chinese-made drones in the fleet
Most of the OC Sheriff's drone fleet is manufactured by DJI, a Chinese company banned from U.S. military use over concerns about potential Chinese government surveillance. No California law currently prohibits local police from using DJI drones.
Residents and activists across the county have raised concerns about how drone footage will be stored and whether it could be shared with federal immigration agents, according to Voice of OC.
Crime rates drop as drone programs expand
The expansion comes as California crime rates are falling sharply. The state Department of Justice reported in July 2026 that homicides fell 17.5% in 2025, hitting 3.5 per 100,000 people, the lowest rate since crime recording began six decades ago. Violent crime dropped 10.2% and property crime fell 14.3%.
Newport Beach residents fund the Sheriff's Department through county taxes, giving the OC Board of Supervisors' oversight of these programs local budget relevance. Newport Beach has its own police department and is not served by the Sheriff for patrol.
Oversight remains thin
The Sheriff's Department stated in its disclosure that over 85% of drone usage was for documenting crime scenes, conducting search and rescue, investigating traffic collisions, or assisting with surveillance and patrol checks. In county jails, 80% of military equipment use was drone deployment for patrol checks.
Irvine City Councilman Mike Carroll offered a different perspective at his city's April 28 military equipment disclosure review: "This is the greatest police department in the history of our country. The fact you guys have to detail this stuff bothers me greatly."
The council did not discuss drone usage at that meeting. No OC Board of Supervisors hearing on drone oversight has been announced.
