From Gaza to main street: How Skydio's AI drones—battle-tested in war—are now patrolling American cities
By bellecarter // 2025-11-03
Copy
 
  • Skydio's AI-powered drones—battle-tested in Gaza—are now deployed across U.S. cities for routine policing, protests and public monitoring, raising concerns about militarized domestic surveillance.
  • Over 800 agencies, including NYPD (55 flights/day), DEA and Customs and Border Protection, use Skydio drones, with federal military branches spending $10M+ in two years.
  • FAA rule changes allow drones to fly beyond operator sight, enabling "Drone As First Responder" programs—autonomous tracking, thermal imaging and real-time data uploads to Axon Evidence, linked to Israeli security forces.
  • Skydio's funding comes from Zionist-linked VCs (Andreessen Horowitz, Next47) with IDF connections, reinforcing concerns about U.S.-Israel defense-tech integration and data-sharing risks.
  • Critics warn of mission creep, eroded civil liberties and the dangerous precedent of battlefield-tested AI surveillance being normalized in American communities—with indoor drones planned for 2025.
Skydio, the largest U.S.-based drone manufacturer, has rapidly expanded its reach into domestic law enforcement after supplying reconnaissance drones to the Israeli military during its siege of Gaza. Now, these AI-powered drones—battle-tested in a conflict that has drawn accusations of genocide—are being deployed across American cities, monitoring protests, public gatherings and even routine police calls. With contracts in over 800 law enforcement agencies and backing from major investors, including Israeli-linked venture capital firms, Skydio's rise raises urgent questions about surveillance, militarized policing and the growing ties between U.S. security forces and Israel's defense industry. Immediately after Oct. 7, 2023, Skydio shipped over 100 reconnaissance drones to Israel, where they were used extensively in Gaza. The company, headquartered in California but with deep financial ties to Israeli investors, has since seen explosive growth in domestic contracts. Documents obtained via Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests reveal that the U.S. Army and Air Force have spent $10 million on Skydio drones in the past two years, while the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) invested $225,000. More than 20 U.S. police departments—including those in Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and San Diego—have integrated Skydio drones into their operations. The New York Police Department (NYPD) alone launched over 20,000 drone flights in less than a year. "The NYPD's drone program is a critical tool for public safety," a department spokesperson told a drone industry publication. Yet critics warn that such surveillance, honed in occupied territories, now threatens civil liberties at home.

AI surveillance and the erosion of privacy

Skydio's drones are equipped with thermal imaging, 3D mapping and AI-powered autonomous tracking, allowing them to operate without direct human control—even in GPS-denied environments. A recent Federal Aviation Administration rule change in March 2024 removed key restrictions, permitting drones to fly beyond the operator's line of sight and over crowded streets. This shift has led to the adoption of "Drone As First Responder" (DFR) programs, where drones are dispatched ahead of officers to assess situations. Cincinnati plans to deploy drones for 90 percent of emergency calls by the end of 2024. Meanwhile, agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection have purchased Skydio's X10D model, which autonomously pursues targets. All footage captured by Skydio drones is automatically uploaded to Axon Evidence, a digital evidence system run by Axon—the company behind Tasers and police body cameras. Axon, a major Skydio investor, also supplies Israeli security forces, raising concerns about data-sharing between military and domestic surveillance networks.

The Israeli connection: Investors and military ties

Skydio's financial backers include prominent Zionist venture capitalists, such as Marc Andreessen's firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), which led Skydio's early funding rounds, according to BrightU.AI's Enoch. Andreessen and his partner, Ben Horowitz, have heavily invested in Israeli tech firms, including those founded by ex-Israel Defense Forces (IDF) intelligence officers. Other investors, like Next47 and Hercules Capital, have direct links to Israeli military and intelligence networks. Moshe Zilberstein, who heads Next47's Israel office, previously worked in the IDF's elite Mamram cyber unit. "Skydio's rise is part of a broader trend where U.S. policing is increasingly militarized with technology tested on occupied populations," said a civil liberties advocate who requested anonymity. The rapid adoption of Skydio drones underscores a troubling convergence of military-grade surveillance, Israeli defense tech and domestic policing. As these AI systems—refined in Gaza—patrol American skies, concerns grow over mission creep, data privacy and the normalization of mass surveillance. With Skydio planning to roll out indoor drones next year, the line between battlefield tech and civilian oversight continues to blur. As one critic noted: "When the NYPD's boot is on your neck, it's been laced by the IDF." Whether lawmakers will act to rein in this expansion remains uncertain—but for now, the drones keep flying. Watch the video below that talks about the Florida bill that would allow the shooting down of surveillance drones. This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

TheGrayZone.com DoNotPanic.news BrightU.ai Brighteon.com
Copy