Title
Receive a report from the Sheriff’s Office
Support the Sheriff’s Office spending of $3,034,343 over 92 months to acquire Drones from Axon Enterprises, Inc.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Budget Committee:
Support the Sheriff’s Office spending of $3,034,343 over 92 months to acquire Drones from Axon Enterprises, Inc.
SUMMARY:
The Board of Supervisors (BOS) approved the Master Services and Purchasing Agreement for Axon Enterprises, Inc. on June 25, 2024. This quote adds Axon Drones to the Master Services and Purchasing Agreement. The vendor is honoring pricing pursuant to a separate Sourcewell Contract #101223-AXN to which the County of Monterey is not a signatory. The Sheriff’s Office will receive money from the Sheriff’s Advisory Committee (SAC) and will be going to the BOS in October for approval and the remaining balance will be paid from the asset forfeiture account.
DISCUSSION:
The Sheriff’s Office established its Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) program in 2016 with the purchase of commercially available DJI drones, which at the time could be purchased through consumer retailers. These aircraft provided the Sheriff’s Office with an initial UAS capability. However, a formal lifecycle or replacement program was never established.
As the original aircraft became obsolete, reached the end of their useful life, or were damaged beyond repair, they were generally not replaced. In 2024, the Sheriff’s Office transitioned away from DJI platforms in response to federal procurement and cybersecurity requirements associated with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Department subsequently moved toward U.S. manufactured Skydio UAS platforms that are NDAA compliant, with qualifying Skydio systems also appearing on the Department of Defense Blue UAS Cleared List.
The Sheriff’s Office currently maintains three operational drones; two Skydio X10 aircraft that are approaching the end of their anticipated useful service life, and one remaining DJI aircraft purchased under a prior administration. The remaining DJI aircraft is scheduled to be removed from service by the end of 2026. The proposed agreement establishes a planned replacement and expansion cycle intended to prevent the program from again becoming dependent on aging or obsolete aircraft.
Axon Air provides the Sheriff’s Office with an integrated drone platform designed to enhance situational awareness, officer safety, and operational decision-making. The system integrates with the Sheriff’s Office’s existing Axon technology and Evidence.com environment, allowing authorized personnel to securely access, manage, and retain drone video and related digital evidence.
The proposed agreement includes Skydio X10 drones, Skydio R10 drones, and a Skydio F10 system. All drones are equipped for day and night public safety operations, associated software, cellular connectivity, training, equipment support, and replacement services. They provide real time aerial video and location information to deputies, supervisors, dispatchers, and command personnel during critical incidents, searches for missing or at-risk persons, tactical operations, disaster response, major events, and incidents occurring in remote or difficult-to-access areas.
Skydio X10: The X10 is an all-weather public safety drone designed for outdoor operations, providing high-resolution visual and thermal imaging, obstacle avoidance, and live video to support incident response, searches, overwatch, and other public safety missions.
Skydio R10: The R10 is a compact indoor drone designed to operation in confined and GPS-denied environments, providing onboard lighting, live video, two-way communication, and obstacle avoidance capabilities before personnel enter potentially hazardous locations.
Skydio F10: The F10 is a longer-range Drone as First Responder (DFR) aircraft intended to extend DFR coverage over greater distances, remain on scene for longer duration incidents, and support responses where increased range and speed are required.
The agreement establishes the foundation for the Sheriff’s Office to develop a Drone as First Responder (DFR) program. DFR allows drones to respond to calls for service and provide personnel with real-time information before deputies arrive on scene. This capability can assist in identifying hazards, locating involved persons, determining appropriate resources, and improving response coordination while reducing unnecessary exposure of deputies to potentially dangerous situations. This capability is particularly beneficial in Monterey County due to its large geographic area, remote communities, varied terrain, and extended travel distances.
The cost increases over the life of the agreement primarily because additional aircraft, systems, services, and operational capabilities are being phased into the program over time rather than being purchased and implemented entirely at the outset.
Year 1 (FY 26-27): The Sheriff’s Office will receive 3 Skydio X10 drones and 3 Skydio R10 drones, and cost $114,638.74. This will bring our fleet of drones to 8 total operational drones.
Year 2 (FY 27-28): The Sheriff’s Office will receive 2 Skydio X10 drones, and cost $114,638.74. This will bring our fleet of drones to 8 total operational drones.
Year 3 (FY 28-29): The Sheriff’s Office will receive 2 Skydio X10 drones, 1 Skydio F10 system, 3 Skydio X10 Refresh Kits and 3 Skydio R10 Refresh Kits, and cost $464,980.57. This will bring our fleet of drones to 16 total operational drones.
Year 4 (FY 29-30): The Sheriff’s Office will receive 2 Skydio X10 Refresh Kits, and cost $464,980.57. This will bring our fleet of drones to 16 total operational drones.
Year 5 (FY 30-31): The Sheriff’s Office will receive 2 Skydio X10 Refresh Kits, and cost $464,980.57. This will bring our fleet of drones to 18 total operational drones.
Year 6 (FY 31-32): The Sheriff’s Office will receive 3 Skydio X10 Refresh Kits and 3 Skydio R10 Refresh Kits, and cost $464,980.57. This will bring our fleet of drones to 18 total operational drones.
Year 7 (FY 32-33): The Sheriff’s Office will receive 2 Skydio X10 Refresh Kits, and cost $464,980.57. This will bring our fleet of drones to 14 total operational drones.
Year 8 (FY 33-34): The Sheriff’s Office will receive 2 Skydio X10 Refresh Kits, and cost $480,161.85. This will bring our fleet of drones to 14 total operational drones.
This approach spreads the cost of the program expansion across the term of the agreement while allowing the Sheriff’s Office to increase capabilities in a planned manner as the program develops.
The agreement was structured to keep initial implementation costs low allowing the Sheriff’s Office to initiate the program using existing available funding. This approach also provides the opportunity to program future year costs through the County’s normal budget process, while remaining mindful of the County’s fiscal challenges.
The agreement also provides for scheduled equipment refreshes (approximately 2.5 years after delivery) and replacement of aircraft and related equipment during the term of the agreement. This allows aging or obsolete equipment to be replaced as technology evolves without requiring the Sheriff’s Office to initiate separate procurement each time an aircraft reaches the end of its service life. In addition, the agreement includes repair and replacement support, training, and integration with the Sheriff’s Office’s existing Axon systems. These provisions are intended to maintain operational readiness and allow the program to adapt as technology, operational needs, and regulatory requirements evolve.
The proposed Axon Air agreement will be co-termed with the Sheriff’s Office’s existing Axon Master Services and Purchasing Agreement for a total term of 92 months, aligning the drone program with the Department’s existing technology and contract lifecycle.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
CAO has reviewed the report. The Office of County Counsel has reviewed and advised on this Agreement as to legal form. The Auditor-Controller’s Office reviewed the contract but does not agree to the non-standard payment provisions.
FINANCING:
The Sheriff’s Office will absorb the first-year cost of $114,638.74, funded through $50,000 donated by the Sheriff’s Advisory Council and the remaining balance of $64,638.74 from the Sheriff’s Office FY 2026-27 Adopted Budget, CA Asset Forfeiture 1001-30091. Future costs will be incorporated into the Sheriff’s Office budget through the normal County budget development process.
Prepared by: Scott Davis, Commander, ext. #3807
Reviewed by: Eric Bixler, Chief, ext. 3754
Reviewed by: Keith Boyd, Undersheriff, ext. #3859
Approved by: Tina Nieto, Sheriff/Coroner, ext. #3750
Attachments:
Quote Q-803009-46289LG
Master Services and Purchasing Agreement