When disaster strikes, every second counts. Around the world, first responders are relying on drone technology to move faster, stay safer, and make critical decisions when it matters most.
That reality came into sharp focus in Asheville, North Carolina, after Hurricane Helene struck in 2024.
The storm unleashed destruction on a scale few anticipated. Rapid floodwaters swept through neighborhoods, overwhelming emergency services, cutting off critical access routes, and knocking out electricity across much of the city. With no power, phone networks and internet service also went down, leaving many residents and agencies cut off from communication and information. In the face of this devastation, traditional response methods alone weren’t enough – so the Asheville Police Department turned to drones as an essential tool for emergency response.
- Captain Brandan Moore, Asheville Police Department
Working closely with Ovrwatch, the Asheville Police Department deployed 13 DJI Docks (a mix of DJI Dock, DJI Dock 2, and DJI Dock 3) across the city, creating a network that transformed their ability to assess, respond, and recover. Compact and built for round-the-clock operations, these “drone-in-a-box” enterprise solutions enable automatic, repeatable drone workflows – even in remote or challenging environments - empowering responders to reach impacted areas faster, safer, and more effectively than ever before.
Eyes in the Sky, Help on the Ground
As floodwaters surged, getting eyes on the situation became an urgent challenge. Many areas were unreachable by ground vehicles, leaving first responders with few options.
With their DJI Docks, responders could rapidly launch drones, capture live aerial views, and direct rescue teams in real time.
Drones also played a key role in public safety. With streets turned into rivers, traditional responses proved challenging. The drones provided aerial guidance to officers, enabling them to intercept looters and respond to hard-to-reach areas. By providing timely intelligence when it mattered most, the technology served as a trusted tool for protecting both lives and property.
- Chief Mike Lamb, Asheville Police Department
Throughout the aftermath, the DJI Docks also helped map thousands of acres of flood-damaged areas, pinpoint vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure, and deliver vital intelligence to state and local agencies. In particular, they enabled teams to assess severe damage sustained to Asheville’s waterways - a key water source for the city - far faster than would have been possible by ground.
A Blueprint for the Future
As Asheville continues its recovery, the lessons are clear: drones have become a necessary part of how communities prepare for and respond to emergencies, but their true impact depends on the collaboration and coordination that support their deployment at scale.
From federal and local agencies to service providers and commercial property owners, a broad coalition of stakeholders joined forces to enable the deployment and continuity of their DJI Docks. This included cooperation from private property owners to ensure docks could be placed on commercial rooftops to expand citywide coverage, support from industry partners like Ovrwatch to manage flight operations, and centralized coordination between agencies to keep drone data accessible and actionable.
This collective effort has created a blueprint for the effective use of drone technology - one that demonstrates the importance of coordinated planning and shared responsibility.
Importantly, the network established in response to the storm wasn’t just a one-time solution. It remains a valuable asset for future emergencies, daily public safety operations, and potential Drone as First Responder (DFR) use across Asheville.
- Rhys Andersen, CEO, Ovrwatch
At DJI, we are proud to support the first responders leading the way. In Asheville and beyond, drone innovation isn’t just changing emergency response - it’s helping to strengthen the resilience of communities around the world.