Agenda Item Wording:
title
Authorize the purchase of three (3) Skydio unmanned aerial systems (UAS) - Request authorization to award a purchase contract with Axon Enterprise located in Scottsdale, Arizona for two (2) Skydio X10 UAS and one (1) R10 Indoor UAS in the amount of $53,600 under a Sourcewell cooperative procurement agreement under contract #101223 and appropriate $18,470 from the General Fund.
body
Agenda Date: 04/06/2026
Prepared by: Police Chief Jason Salazar, 713-4215, Jason.Salazar@visalia.gov ; Captain Daniel Ford, 713-4151, Daniel.Ford@visalia.gov ; Lieutenant Clay Moffett, 713- 4408, Clay.Moffett@visalia.gov ; Financial Analyst Liz Ybarra, 713-4250, Liz.Ybarra@visalia.gov
Department Recommendation: Request authorization to award a purchase contract with Axon Enterprise, Inc. located in Scottsdale, Arizona for two (2) Skydio X10 UAS and one (1) R10 Indoor UAS from Axon Enterprise in the amount of $53,600 under Sourcewell Contract #101223 and appropriate $18,470 from the General Fund.
Summary:
The Visalia Police Department has utilized unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for approximately eight years, primarily operating consumer-grade DJI Mavic drones assigned to individual pilots. In addition, the Department maintains two larger DJI Matrice drones equipped with FLIR cameras for nighttime and preplanned operations and DJI Avata drones for indoor operations. While these systems have supported UAS operations, pilots have identified several operational limitations.
The smaller DJI Mavic drones have limited flight times, particularly during summer months when extreme heat degrades battery performance and has resulted in in-flight failures. Additionally, these drones lack integrated thermal imaging capabilities, restricting their effectiveness during nighttime operations. Their consumer-grade construction has also raised durability concerns. Further, DJI drones are manufactured outside the United States and are subject to frequent design changes, ...
Click here for full text