Honolulu Prepares to Deploy Drones
The drones would be used to patrol areas not manned by lifeguards as well as potentially dangerous waters after a shark sighting.

Photo via Flickr/Budi Nusyirwan

Photo via Flickr/Budi Nusyirwan
The City of Honolulu plans to deploy a fleet of drones to improve its emergency response efforts. Jim Howe, director of emergency services for the city, told KITV the drones would be used to patrol areas not manned by lifeguards, including the Makapu'u tide pools where two people recently died. This could also be used to help patrol waters after a shark sighting.
The drones would also be used by Honolulu firefighters in the event of a chemical spill and the Parks Department when dealing with downed trees or power lines. The Honolulu Police Department, Department of Information Technology, and Environmental Services also plan to use drones.
More Operations

Town of Queen Creek Named Most Successful Fleet Award Winner of Inaugural RTA Fleet Success Awards
Five fleets were honored at RTA Connect 2026 in Chicago for excellence across resource efficiency, intentional culture, risk management, and stakeholder satisfaction.
Read More →
A buyer's guide to fleet management software in 2027
Buying fleet management software in 2027 means looking beyond features and price. As fleet operations, technology and expectations evolve, this guide explores what today’s fleet professionals should consider when choosing a system that can deliver value now and adapt to what comes next.
Read More →
Hazard Alerts, Fleet Car Sales Rise and a New Shuttle Concept
Fleet car sales doubled, but the bigger picture tells a different story in this week’s roundup.
Read More →
How St. Johns County Turned Fleet Data Into Better Replacement Decisions
St. Johns County, Florida, had fleet data, but turning it into reliable decision guidance was another matter. Instead of starting over with a new fleet management system, the county connected existing tools and built a scoring system that gives managers an objective look at fleet health.
Read More →
Fleet Forward Conference Introduces One-Day Passes for 2026
New one-day registration lets fleet professionals attend Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, with passes available for $249.
Read More →
ENC Unveils its ZAVIR Medium-Duty Shuttle
Two variants of the concept shuttles were revealed: a low-floor configuration and a high-floor configuration.
Read More →
Could Your Next Fleet Technician Start as an Intern?
What if your next technician hasn’t worked in a fleet shop yet? What fleets are doing to free up time.
Read More →
How Phoenix Is Building Its Next Generation of Fleet Technicians
With more than 8,000 vehicles and pieces of equipment to maintain, the City of Phoenix could not afford to wait for fully trained technicians to walk through the door. Instead, they revamped their entire workforce strategy and showed how public fleets can create their own talent pipeline while preparing existing employees for increasingly complex vehicles.
Read More →
What’s Slowing Your Fleet Down?
Could a change in how work gets done help your fleet return vehicles to service sooner?
Read More →
Can Public Fleets Trust the Data Driving Their Decisions?
Public fleets have more data than ever, but inconsistent records and missing information can still undermine maintenance, replacement, and cost decisions.
Read More →

