{
  "id": 14179748,
  "title": "Flock is facing a surveillance backlash. Meanwhile, its drone business is booming",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/flock-is-facing-a-surveillance-backlash-meanwhile-its-drone-business",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-13T10:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Fast Company",
    "slug": "fast-company",
    "url": "https://www.fastcompany.com/91621503/flock-is-facing-a-surveillance-backlash-meanwhile-its-drone-business-is-booming"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "For much of the last year, security cameras sold by Flock Safety have been blacked out, painted over and wrapped in trash bags. The company's automated license plate readers (ALPRs) have faced criticism and bans in several cities nationwide. Meanwhile, Flock's drone business has seen significant growth. Flock's founder and CEO, Garrett Langley, stated in September that drone technology is the fastest-growing business unit for the company, projecting it to account for nearly half of future revenue. Flock, valued at $8.4 billion, is considering supplying drones to Chula Vista, California, a city known for its drone policing efforts. While local law enforcement often praises the technology, civil rights advocates express concern over the balance of privacy versus security. The high-resolution cameras can see thousands of feet away and are designed to avoid detection. With roughly 175 drone-as-first-responder (DFR) customers, including police departments and public safety agencies, Flock is poised for continued growth. The rise of DFR programs is driven by ease of use, workforce shortages in policing, and a desire to avoid high-speed chases. However, this technological advancement raises constitutional questions about privacy. Flock maintains that its drones are an important tool for law enforcement, emphasizing their ability to track vehicles and incorporate drone footage into AI-powered analysis tools. The company's domestic production of the Alpha drone, set to begin in Georgia by 2027, aims to gain market share after the ban on Chinese drones. San Francisco is a key battleground for public opinion on drones and policing, with concerns about data sharing and surveillance becoming a prominent political issue.",
  "summary": "For much of the last year, security cameras sold by the tech firm Flock Safety have been blacked out, painted over, even wrapped in trash bags. Roundly criticized for ushering in high-tech surveillance, the company’s automated license plate readers (ALPRs) have not only been broken, but banned by cities across the nation . However, at the same time the ALPR backlash has been brewing, a…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}